


To Be Human

by CouchNinja



Series: A Little Spider in a Marvelous Universe [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brainwashing, I think it turned out well though, Minor Character Death, Original Species, POV Peter Parker, PTSD, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is Pepper Potts's Biological Child, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Peter is a soldier, Protective Natasha Romanov, Protective Tony Stark, The Avengers turn into a great big family, This might get confusing at times, not movie compliant, super family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 52
Words: 115,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25168789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CouchNinja/pseuds/CouchNinja
Summary: Peter Stark went missing as a baby.Years later, a human boy named Minshun appears with an alien army. Except, he isn't much like a human.Can he learn to embrace his humanity? And what will he do with all of his training and special abilities? What will become of his old life, and will it come back to haunt him?*Complete. Updating every few days.*
Relationships: Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Avengers Team, Peter Parker & Natasha Romanov, Peter Parker & Pepper Potts, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: A Little Spider in a Marvelous Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1970314
Comments: 347
Kudos: 439
Collections: Peter Parker Stories, Spider-Man Public Identity Reveal, Stories in which Peter Stark was kidnapped as a child.





	1. Chapter 1: Normal Life

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. So, I just want to say I love Marvel and Spiderman, but I am not super knowledgeable about the entire universe. I haven't seen every movie (a lot, but not all) or read any of the comics. So, if I get stuff super wrong, I tried. It's also a little hard anyway when it diverges from canon this far.
> 
> In case it isn't clear, Peter is called Minshun by the aliens he lives with. So whenever you see that name, just know it's Peter.
> 
> The story is entirely from Peter's point of view, so you go on the journey with him. You only know what he knows at a given time. That might lead to a few confusing places or times where you're like how blind can this kid be. But he's trying.
> 
> Anyway, I hope anyone reading likes it. Let me know what you think! Comments are always appreciated.
> 
> Enough from me. Enjoy!

“Wake up!”

Minshun jolted out of bed at his mother’s call. He quickly stood and prepared himself for the day. When he was finished, he walked downstairs. His mother was placing breakfast on the table.

Well, technically she wasn’t his mother. Not by blood, anyway. She was the closest thing he had though. She had taken him in when no other Camolian would even look at him.

Apparently, the Alliance had found him as a baby, alone and abandoned on another planet. Or so he was told. He clearly couldn’t remember that far back. 

At the time, none of them had seen anything like him. The Camolians stood seven to eight feet tall. The humanoid reptiles had long tails. Their claws were large and sharp. They had rows of sharp teeth with a small gap in the front to allow their forked tongues through. Large, dark green scales covered their bodies. Their taloned feet had slight webbing, allowing them to swim with ease.

In contrast, he was small. His skin was smooth and pale. His mouth contained only one set of small teeth and a round, pink tongue. His hands and feet bore no claws or webbing.

The Camolians had taken pity on him. They took him back to their planet. They rescued him. 

When his mother had seen him, she took him in. No one else wanted him. They didn’t think he would become anything great. She saw the potential in him. She was very strict, but it made him a better, stronger warrior. Now, he had gone from the runt of the planet to the captain of his training team.

His mother turned to him. “Sit. Eat.” She pointed to the chair at the table, which he hastily sat himself on. He scarfed down the small amount of meat and bread on his plate. It was nowhere near enough to satisfy him, but he was grateful none the less. It was more than most received. He was lucky to have this one small meal every day, courtesy of the Alliance. 

Once he was done, he stood and walked towards the door. “I am leaving,” he said.

His mother hummed in reply.

Minshun always felt a compulsion to say more or display some form of farewell. He had done this in his youth, but the woman had squashed the habit. It was impractical to be emotional like that. It just hindered you on the battlefield to have attachments. It made you vulnerable.

He had been bullied for most of his youth. The others his age called him Underling. That was because he was so much smaller than all of them. They viewed him as below them in every aspect. For a while, it had hurt him to be looked down upon, but his mother had taught him there was no point in pitying himself. Just move on and shove it in their faces when he surpassed them in the future.

Which he did. He learned to use his size as an advantage. He maneuvered more quickly and efficiently that the others. He could make sharper turned and dodge their blasts. He trained harder than all the other kids, with some help of course. He taught himself to move in a way he could keep up. And most importantly, he used his brain.

He even came up with a signature move. When fighting his opponent, he would slide under them easily since he was closer to the ground. He would slice the tendons in their legs. This would debilitate the enemy, making it easier for him to wipe them out. Because of that move, he became proud of his nickname Underling. It was no longer a source of shame but of honor.

Minshun closed the door behind him and ran to the training base. This was where they taught everyone on Camolia to fight for the Alliance. Each floor represented a different level of skill. The youngest and least experienced trained on the bottom floor. The top floor was restricted for only the highest of the high. Minshun only dreamed of seeing that floor one day. He and his team were somewhere in the middle. They were the best of their age. He had heard rumors that they would soon go into their first battle. Minshun couldn’t wait.

He walked into the building, stepping with just his toes touching the ground. This helped him look taller. More threatening. He held his head high and walked confidently towards the elevator.

He ignored all the people around him. He was above them. He had no reason to interact with any of them. That would just form bonds. He didn’t need that. That would hold him back.

Once in the elevator, he pushed the pressed the correct button. The doors opened soon enough. He spotted some of his team waiting with Commander Harshin. They turned towards him as he exited the elevator. He kept his focus ahead of him and walked to his designated circle. When he stepped on it, it glowed, showing he was ready to start the training simulation.

His friend Chacksli stood to his right. He was from the Strepo tribe.

Each squadron contains one member from each tribe in the Alliance. Long ago, their planet consisted of five tribes who were at war. Minshun was a Visi, which was known for their strength and determination. The Strepo tribe was known for their mighty roars and frightening demeanour. The Citus tribe was known for its swiftness and agility. The Opacus tribe was known for its mysterious ways, always lurking in the dark. Lastly, the Cruor tribe was known for its willingness to do anything to win. They were ruthless.

After centuries of fighting, the Great Mediator came from a distant land and united the tribes under his reign. He taught the Camolians there was a whole universe out there that was fighting like they had been. If they could be taken over and brought under the Alliance, the universe could live in harmony under the Great Mediator. The tribes united and started training their young to fight and fly ships provided by their new leader. 

That was why Minshun was found. A fleet of ships had set out to the first planet. He was the only one on that planet.

As they went to more planets, they realized his species was common. They were called humans. They were weak. But, the Camolians had already made him one of their own. Besides, they were sure they could find a use for him. He could be useful when overtaking human planets.

A girl sprinted into the room and stepped onto the circle to Minshun’s left

“Lieutenant Hisha!” Commander Harshin hissed. “Nice of you to finally join us.”

The Citus girl stood at attention. “Sorry, sir. It won’t happen again.”

“It better not.” The commander turned his attention to the rest of the team. “Now, today’s training is fairly simple. All you have to do is catch the flag on the enemy’s side. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir!” they all shouted in unison.

“Good.” 

The commander stepped behind a door and pressed a button. 

The simulation fell around them. They were in a rocky terrain. Steep cliffs towered over them on all sides but one. The flag was nowhere in sight, but they only had one path to follow. Guess it had to be that way.

“Follow me,” Minshun said. He grabbed the staff that lay behind him. They others did the same.

He carefully stepped forward, surveying the scene. He saw his squadron following out of the corner of his eye. They continued on for some time, nothing happening.

Jarnum, the Opacus boy, groaned. “This is so boring. When will the fun begin?”

As if on cue, arrows flew down upon them.

“Run!”

All five sprinted forward, slicing arrows in half if they drew too near. The number of descending arrows increased as they progressed. Soon, Minshun saw a cliff rising in front of them. They had no way out apart from climbing. That would make them vulnerable. But they had no other options.

“Climb!” he shouted.

He watched as his teammates climbed rapidly, using their claws to their advantage.

He placed the staff in his mouth so he could grab and rolled up his sleeves, exposing a wrist device he had constructed. They turned into a highly advanced glove that provided different uses depending on which button he pushed. For instance, he now pushed the button that gave him clawed gloves and started to climb.

He heard a wiz and grabbed his staff. Without looking, he swung it, slicing an arrow aimed for his neck. He started climbing again with greater speed.

Above him, he heard a howl. Looking up, he saw Morsa, the Cruor girl, had been shot in the shoulder.

“Keep climbing, Lieutenant!” he ordered.

Morsa gritted her teeth and did as she was told.

Finally, they all made it to the top. 

There were no archers to be seen. They must have been in the cliff’s crevices. Hopefully, they wouldn’t climb up and follow them.

MInshun scanned the area, trying to determine where to go from there.

“Look!” Hisha called.

They all turned in the direction she pointed. Smoke billowed from the ground.

“That seems promising. Let’s go.”

They ran towards the smoke. About half-way there, the ground began to shake. Portions of the terrain fell away, and soldiers rose from the holes. They gave a war cry and charged at the team, holding their staffs high.

The team continued to run forward, slicing through the soldiers with ease. As they neared the smoke, they spotted a village encompassed in flames. Civilians were running and screaming as more soldiers stormed around the village causing havoc. Just above the flames, Minshun could see the tip of a flag in the distance.

“Come on! We have to make it to the middle!”

The squadron ran through the village. They were stopped repeatedly by more soldiers. These were stronger than the ones they had faced a few minutes prior. Each round they fought, it took longer and longer to beat them.

They reached the center of the village. The flag was in plain sight. Minshun was about to run for it when he heard cries behind him.

He turned to see Chacksli and Morsa pinned to the ground. He knew they would be taken out. He looked between them and the flag. He had a clear shot to it. He glanced back at his comrades before sprinting towards the flag.

Never let your emotions stop you from reaching the goal. People are expendable.

When he grabbed the pole, the simulation faded away. They were once more in their training room.

Commander Harshin clapped slowly. “Well done, everyone. Well, almost everyone.” He glared at Chacksli and Morsa who were pushing themselves off the ground. “That’s enough for now. Go take care of your other duties.”

They all walked towards the door. Minshun was stopped before he could reach it.

“Captain. A word.”


	2. Chapter 2: Exciting News

Minshin strode over to the commander. 

Harshin towered over him. The nine-foot giant was the epitome of a soldier. His body was covered in scars and chipped scales from his time on the front lines. He never showed emotion. He was respected by everyone. Minshun longed to be like him one day.

“Good job leading your team today.”

The boy felt like smiling on the inside, but he kept his face blank. “Thank you, sir.”

“I made note of the point where you abandoned two of your teammates.”

“Yes, sir. I thought it was more important to finish the mission.” 

He suddenly began to panic. Should he not have done that? He thought that would be what was expected of him. All his training over the years supported that decision. Everyone always told him that he needed to get rid of emotions. That he needed to discard attachments. That he needed to become less… human. Was that not what was expected of him in this instance? 

“Was that not the correct action, sir?”

“No. That was exactly the right call.”

He internally breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m glad to hear that, sir.”

Commander Harshin turned and walked across the room. Minshun didn’t know if he was supposed to go, so he just stood there. The commander turned and gestured with his head for the boy to follow. Minshun sprinted forward.

They reached the opposite end of the room. The commander opened a door and walked onto a balcony overlooking the hanger bay. Both captain and commander leaned against the railing and looked at the ships below.

They stood in silence for a few minutes. Commander Harshin seemed to be deep in thought over something. If Minshun didn’t know any better, he would have thought the man was struggling over something.

The Commander finally spoke. “You have come a long way, Captain. When you were first brought to me, I didn’t think you would make it. You have proven me wrong. You have overcome all your genetic shortcomings. You have learned to block those emotions that used to control you. You became the best captain I have ever trained.”

Minshun felt pride swell within him. He couldn’t express how glad he was that his role model thought so highly of him. He had strived for this. He strived to be honored and accepted. Granted, many still viewed him lowly. Jarnum and Morsa still thought he was weak, but they shut their mouth since he was of higher rank.

Harshin continued. “Today’s actions have solidified that. In years past, you would have gone back for your teammates. Now, you see that soldiers are expendable. It is an honor to die for the Alliance. You have proven your understanding of that. You are finally ready to lead your team to battle.”

Minshun’s eyes widened. He turned to look at his commander. “Sir?”

“I’m sending you and your squadron out with the next fleet. You will help take over the planet of Arnia and free them from all war in the name of the Great Protector.”

“Hallowed be his name.”

“Hallowed be his name.”

The two stood in silence once more. The general had what looked like… sadness on his face? No. That didn’t make sense. Why would he be sad about his pupils doing what he had trained them to do. Minshun knew the man had always seemed fonder of him than any other high-ranking officer, but that didn’t explain it. He decided to brush it off. It was probably just masked pride or something. 

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was being sent to the battle front. What an honor! He had dreamed of this day coming for so long, and now it was finally here. He couldn’t wait to tell the others.

Commander Harshin must have seen his excitement as he dismissed the boy.

Minshun saluted and sprinted towards the locker room. Inside, his teammates waited for him.

Morsa glanced up from sharpening a knife. “What is it, Underling?”

“We’re going to the battle front!”

“What?” Hisha cried. “You’re serious? This isn’t a joke?”

“Yeah. We head out in a few days with the fleet going to Arnia. Isn’t that great?”

“I gotta go tell my family,” Chacksli said. “And pack.” He stood and ran towards the exit.

“Me too.”

“And me.”

Jarnum and Morsa ran out the door, leaving just Hisha and Minshun. 

“I can’t believe this is happening. After all this training, we are finally gonna see the real deal.”  
Hisha sat on one of the benches.

Minshun sat beside her. Out of all his teammates, he had a strongest collection with her. She had believed in him longer than anyone else. She had helped him train outside of the typical practices. She had taken the time to help improve his form and teach him numerous styles of fighting until he found one that worked for him. He wouldn’t have made it without her. She made him less alone. She accepted him. No matter what.

“Yeah. I am so honored to be chosen. No one else in our age group is even close to this.”

“Well, our leader is pretty unique.” She playfully nudged him in the shoulder.

“He wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without his teammates.” He nudged her back.

Hisha stood. “I guess I should go pack and everything. I have a lot to do beforehand.”

Minshun nodded. “Yeah. I should too.”

“Well, see you soon.” She left him alone.

Minshun walked home. He threw open the door to his house, causing his mother to spin around.

“What are you doing home at this time?” She squinted at him. “Did you get in trouble? What did you do now? Are you suspended? Out with it.”

“I’m going to Arnia with the next fleet.”

His mother stared at him without expression. After a moment, she said, “Good,” and turned back to her work.

Even though she didn’t show it, he knew she was proud of him. And a little sad. She was just very good at hiding everything. He hoped he would be as good at that as her one day.

He walked upstairs and went to his and his mother’s shared room. After some rummaging, he gathered his armor, all his weapons, and a few of his gadgets. He shoved them all into a bag.

He caught a glimpse of himself in his mirror. He walked over and took a good look at himself.

His light skin, light brown hair, and brown eyes were so strange. He didn’t like them. He didn’t want to look different. He wanted to be the same. Then, he would be respected. Then, he wouldn’t have to work as hard. Then he wouldn’t be viewed as a useless outcast by so many.

But he couldn’t change that. All he could do was prove them wrong. Which he was going to do.

They would see how great he was. They would see he was strong.

When the time arrived, he told his mother he would be back and pushed open the door.

“Wait.”

He spun around. That was strange. She had always taught him goodbyes were foolish. Pointless. Was she really gonna say one now?

She stood and stared at him for a moment. He couldn’t read what she was thinking. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again. After a few more attempts, she finally managed to form a sentence.

“Promise me you’ll be safe. You’ll come back.”

He hesitated. He knew he shouldn’t promise that. He was going into a battle. There were no promises of safety because it wasn’t safe. But he didn’t want her to worry. Well, she would always worry. She was his mother. But he could lessen it.

“I promise.”

With that, he stepped outside and closed the door behind him.


	3. Chapter 3: First Battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Loki. He's amazing. Although, he is sorta bad in this. Not entirely. He's on good terms with Thor and Odin. That's about it.
> 
> Anyway, here's where the MCU stuff starts to kick in. Hope you all enjoy!

Minshun nearly flew out of his seat when the ship dropped out of hyperspace. Everyone around him started getting into position. Someone ordered him and his team to the transportation room where they would be beamed down to the planet.

He felt like his heart would beat out of his chest. His ears were ringing, and his eyes couldn’t keep up with his mind. He walked without any conscious decision. This felt so unreal. He couldn’t believe he was finally here. Finally going to battle.

The reality hit him. This was a real battle. This could turn into a terrible war zone. No more simulations. No more safety. If you got injured or killed, there was no turning back. This was a live or die scenario.

When he entered the transportation room, he looked around. He and his team stuck out like sore thumbs. They were much younger and less experienced. They were shoved around by the oncoming soldiers. Someone called for them. They all stepped onto the platform. Minshun hated being beamed places. Since his genetic makeup was so different from the Camolians, it was difficult for them to connect to him. But this was the only way down, so he had to suck it up.

There was a flash of light as they were demolecularized.

As they were reconfigured on the planet, Minshun saw they were on some rainbow bridge type thing. He turned to see the Camolians lining up in formation. He directed his squadron and fell into line.

There was a loud voice from the front of the line. It was a strange, booming voice, clearly from a human.

“I am Odin Borson! King of Asgard! Who dares intrude upon my kingdom?”

Hisha leaned towards Minshun. “I thought this place was called Arnia. Not Asgard.”

He shrugged. “I guess they translated it wrong.”

The voice of the prestigious General Harnush resonated across the bridge. “I am General Harnush! I have come in the name of the Great Mediator!”

“Hallowed be his name!” Minshun shouted with the rest of the soldiers.

The general continued. “We have come to bring peace to your land and unite it with the rest of the galaxy!”

This Odin guy spoke again. “We are already in peace! However, we are always welcoming of allies.”

“It is better for everyone if you comply. The way of the Mediator brings peace to all. We have brought many worlds to see this way is best. We are prepared to make you submit by force if necessary. All will join the Alliance or be taken away.”

“Is that a threat? How dare you! I ask of you to leave. If not, we will meet you with force.”

“So be it!”

Minshun heard fighting break out in the front. He started moving forward as the group pushed ahead. Adrenaline pumped through his veins. He turned to his squadron. They all nodded to each other, silently wishing each other luck. They pulled out their staffs and set their sights ahead of them.

As he neared the commotion, he saw the enemy was nothing like what he had trained against. They wore strange armor with horned helmets. In one hand, they held a spear. One the opposite arm rested a large shield. Their fighting style was nothing like the Camolians’. This caused the Alliance to lose a lot of soldiers since they didn’t know how to fight back.

He watched as one of them charged towards him. Preparing to fight, he leaned into a defensive stance. When the opponent was near enough, he jabbed at Minshun with his spear. The boy easily dodged the blow and sliced at the man’s shield with the tip of his staff. He expected the shield to slice in half, but there seemed to be some high-grade tech surrounding it.

The Asgardian soldier pushed forward and made another jab at the boy. As Minshun dodged again, he felt Chacksli flip over his shoulder, landing behind the opponent. He knocked down the enemy, taking him out.

Together, they progressed onward.

The entire squadron worked as one. Whenever they came in contact with an Asgardian, they would take them down as a unit, not an individual. Minshun was thankful for all the team-building exercises they went through. They would not have survived this without it.

Minshun looked around. Bodies of his fallen comrades littered the ground. They were losing. There was no doubt about that. 

He wondered if they would have to retreat. It seemed like the best option. They weren’t getting anywhere. They needed to get backup. They could go back to Camolia and practice fighting against this style. But he wasn’t in command. He would stay if that was what was asked of him. He wasn’t fond of the thought of dying on his first mission, but he would do it for honor. It was a worthy cause to sacrifice one’s self for the Great Mediator.

They had reached the edge of the rainbow bridge, nearing the city. It was beautiful. There were so many vibrant colors. It felt so alive. He had never seen anything like it. Just looking at it made him feel…. Something. Warmth? No, that didn’t make sense. It felt like a home. It was lived in.

It was a stark contrast to his hometown. It was bleak. Barely any color. It was very metallic and dirty looking. It looked like the military planet it was. He wouldn’t trade it for the world though. It was where his family was. It was the place he believed in. The place he would die for.

He ignored the bright colors and fancy décor. He had a mission. He kept pushing forwards with the rest of his group. They continued for what felt like hours. Minshun felt himself growing more and more fatigued. He didn’t know how long he could hold out. The enemy just kept coming. They never lessened.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw lighting strike, throwing a handful of Camolians to the ground. Following the lightning, he saw a strange, caped man flying with… a hammer? And the lightning was coming out of it? Was he hallucinating? Did all of the people have this power? What other powers did they have? 

The Camolians were doomed.

Out of nowhere, a man wearing green and a weird, golden headpiece appeared in front of him. Minshun scrambled backwards in shock. And just in time as a knife barely missed his head.

It did, unfortunately, hit Chacksli in the chest.

His friend gasped as he slid to the ground. As his friend went down, anger flooded through Minshun. He knew he wasn’t supposed to let his feelings affect him, but this was war. He would avenge his friend. Besides, the foe needed to be taken out anyway. Minshun turned, rallying his greatest battle cry as he charged recklessly towards the man.

The stranger stood, staring at him questioningly. He seemed to be confused. Minshun didn’t care why. He could use the distraction to his advantage. Before he could hit the Asgardian, the man disappeared and was replaced by a snake, which fell to the ground.

What was up with these weirdos and doing unnatural things?

Before he could do anything about the slithering man, General Harnsuh came running past.

“Fall back! Fall back! Form together for retreat!”

Minshun helped Hisha grab Chacksli and carry him. They all joined the mass of Camolians rushing across the bridge. He struggled to avoid dropping his friend while running at such a fast pace. When they reached the place they were beamed down, they stopped and squished together. He heard someone call for the beam up, and a bright light surrounded him.

His heart sank as he realized he was still on the fancy, rainbow bridge. Shoot. He hated that stupid transporter. Why would it never pick out his genetic makeup? Hopefully, they would realize he hadn’t gone up with the others.

His hope dissipated as he saw the ships overhead moving away. No no no no no no no. He was trying not to panic. He would be okay. There was still a chance. As long as they were still orbiting the planet….

There was a streak and the Camolian ships went into hyperspace.

Minshun looked down the bridge and saw enemy soldiers congregating. At the head, the lightning, red-caped man and the creepy, snake guy were talking to some older man. He also wore a red cape. They must have all been together. The snake guy pointed in his direction, and the entire group turned to look at him.

Oh no. Now he really was screwed.

He ran to the edge of the bridge. Maybe, if he was lucky, he could climb down and hide somewhere. To his utmost dismay, there was only a massive drop. There was no way he would survive that, even with his fancy gadgets.

“Halt!”

He spun around and saw the three weird, fancy men standing a short way away. The oldest one spoke again.

“Who are you?”

Minshun recognized that voice. It was the one who had been shouting at the beginning of the fight. Odin, or at least something like that.

Fantastic. He was now face to face with the leader of horrible planet. Just what he needed.

He continued to stare the men down. Their glares intensified as he did so. They stood like that for some time, neither one wanting to back down. It was like a match of mental strength and stubbornness. Minshun was good at those. He competed all the time to prove his worth. He wouldn’t let these weirdos win.

Finally, the creepy snake man spoke.

“Okay. I am Loki of Asgard. God of lies and mischief. You will answer my questions, or I will throw you in the dungeon, you dense boy. Now answer! Who are you?”

Minshun stood as tall as possible, trying to make himself look threatening. He stared straight ahead, refusing to show how much he was actually panicking. He couldn’t risk revealing anything through words or expressions. That was the first rule when being captured by an enemy. It is better to be tortured and die than to betray information of the Alliance. He would take anything they threw at him, no matter how unnatural and terrifying.

“That’s it!” The green man stepped forward to grab him.

“Wait, Loki!” The lightning hammer man called. He stepped forward and squinted at Minshun. “You look familiar.”

Minshun wanted to sink away like a coward. Those eyes were boring into his very soul, and it scared him. For some reason, he felt like these people could see something in him he didn’t know himself. But he stood his ground. He couldn’t show fear.

Loki looked at him closer before snapping his fingers. “You know who he reminds me of?” He turned to red, hammer man. “That baby in that picture in Stark’s house. He looks just like the grown-up version of that baby.”

“Indeed, brother. How strange.” The man turned to the boy. “Tell me, do you know Tony Stark?”

Who in the world was that? Why would he know anybody from this weirdo’s world? When were they going to start torturing him for information? He wished they would start that already. He knew how to handle that type of thing. That’s what he was trained for. Not this.

“Fine. Don’t answer. We will take you then and ask Stark ourselves.”

Minshun’s eyes widened. Was this Tony Stark person a torturer? Or great weapon maker and user? Whoever he was, Minshun was sure he didn’t want to go to him. He would rather die.

He turned to the edge of the bridge and darted towards it. Before he could jump off, something hard forcefully collided with the back of his head, and the world went black.


	4. Chapter 4: Strange Interrogation

Minshun regained consciousness. He reached for his throbbing head, but the motion was hindered. Groggily, he opened his eyes.

He was in a strange room. It was very white. It only contained a table, a chair, and a plain bed. The wall leading to the hallway was a forcefield. He didn’t like it. It was a very strange dungeon. What kind of people were these?

He went to stand, but he fell as he tried to push himself up. He realized his hands were cuffed behind his back. Now this he could handle. He dislocated his shoulders and contorted his arms until they were in front of him. He popped the joints back into place and pushed himself up before walking towards the forcefield.

Gently, he touched it with his fingers. There was a zapping sound as energy surged through his body. He jumped back, sucking on his burned finger to cool it.

He meticulously scanned the room, searching for any possible means of escape. He looked for any cracks, any weak points, any visible circuits. 

Nothing.

He walked back over to the bed and sat down. He stared at the forcefield before him. He knew that was his way out. He just had to figure out how. So, he sat there contemplating. Pondering. Thinking. Thinking. Thinking….

Nothing.

As he continued to sit, he grew more and more impatient. He wished something was happening. If someone outside would do anything, it might help him.

In frustration, he screamed and charged towards the field. Maybe if he was lucky, moving fast enough would get him out of there.

Wham!

He flew backwards, crashing painfully to the ground. He couldn’t feel his entire front half due to the impact. Maybe he should try again. It was better than doing nothing. And since he couldn’t feel it now, what harm could it do?

Just as he decided to attempt it, he heard loud voices. He shuffled to his feet and backed away to the opposite wall. The voices grew louder and louder. These people were horrible at sneaking. Although, based on what he had seen, they didn’t have to.

The same three fancy men as before came into view. Minshun stared past their shoulders, refusing to look at them. Refusing to give them anything they wanted.

Odin spoke. “Let us try this again. I am Odin, King of Asgard. These are my sons, Thor and Loki.” He paused as he waited for a response.

Minshun stayed silent.

“Clearly, he does not respond to civilized tactics,” Loki said. “Why don’t you let me try some more… creative methods?”

“No, brother,” hammer man Thor replied. “When you use your methods, people die.”

Loki sighed and shrugged. “It’s not my fault meagre humans cannot withstand the powers of a god.”

Minshun felt his pulse quicken. It seemed as if this shapeshifting, Loki, person was going to be the one to extract information out of him by force. He was the one to be feared. And Minshun did fear him. But he couldn’t show it. He had to be strong. He had to make his people proud.

Odin spoke once more. “What is your name, son? I would appreciate your cooperation. But, do not fear. I will not harm you.”

Minshun looked at the man in shock. What had he just said? That didn’t make any sense. Surely, he was lying. Yet, the man’s eyes were… gentle? He seemed to be speaking the truth. He showed no signs of malice or ill intent. In fact, he smiled warmly at the boy. Minshun had never been looked at like that. He didn’t know how to process it. He hadn’t been prepared for this. These people were better at interrogating than he would have thought. He looked away before they could mess with his mind in any other way.

“Maybe he doesn’t understand!” Thor bellowed. “Wait. Let me try something else!” He walked over the forcefield. He began talking loudly with over-enunciated words. He gestured to himself. “I. Am. Thor. Understand? Thor. Thoooor.” He pointed at the boy. “You. Are?” He gestured for him to finish the sentence.

How dense did this guy think he was? He wasn’t stupid. If he was, that wouldn’t have helped anything. Clearly, this guy was not good at communication.

Thor continued this process for a few minutes. It was insulting. If the forcefield hadn’t been there, Minshun would have punched him. Although, if the forcefield wasn’t there, he would have escaped, so he wouldn’t have had to listen to this man in the first place.

“For crying out loud, will you stop!” Loki snapped. He rolled his eyes. “You look like a complete idiot. The only reason he isn’t responding to you is because he is too intelligent to interact with someone so retarded.”

Minshun snorted at the insult. It reminded him of the interactions he had with Hisha and Chacksli. He hoped they were okay.

He realized the three men were staring at him expectantly. When he realized he had subconsciously responded to what the man had said, he clasped his bound hands over his mouth. Surely, they would come down on him harder now. He was always hurt for showing emotion and amusement in front of the other soldiers back home. The enemy would be even harsher. He awaited their response.

Thor stood up. “Hey! You do understand! See! I knew I could get something out of him!” He beamed at his brother who simply sighed and rolled his eyes again.

“Okay, so what it your name then?”

Silence.

“Let me try something else,” Thor said.

“Thor!” Odin stopped him. “He clearly doesn’t want to answer that at the moment. And I cannot blame him. I would be terrified and guarded in his shoes. Now.” He turned to the boy. “My sons say you look similar to a baby known by….”

“A friend from work,” Thor finished.

“A friend from work,” Odin repeated. “This man is called Tony Stark. Do you recognize that name?”

Silence. Not that he had anything to say. He had never heard of this man in his life. Why would he have? He only knew Camolians.

“He doesn’t know him,” Loki said.

Minshun’s eyes snapped over to meet the raven-haired man’s. How did he know? Was he a mind reader? Ohhhhh he would be in so much trouble if that were the case. He didn’t know how to block things out. He couldn’t just think of nothing. The more he tried to not think of something, the more he thought of that thing. This was bad. This was very bad.

“How do you know that?” Thor snapped at his brother.

“I am the god of lies and mischief,” he stated matter-of-factly. “I can tell when people are hiding things. He has this weird twitch when he refuses to say his name. He didn’t do that when you asked him about Stark.” He turned back to the boy. “Besides, the look he gave me when I said he didn’t know anything confirmed it.”

Shoot. He was not doing well at hiding things. He should have stayed at the base and trained more. Right now, he just needed to zone everything out. That’s what he was taught to do when being tortured. Was this torture? He felt like it was. Mental torture. That had to be worse.

“Well, maybe you were mistaken, Thor,” Odin said.

Thor shook his head. “No. No, they look way too similar to ignore. Maybe he was brainwashed or something. From what I can tell, he would have been just a baby when he last saw the Man of Iron.”

“Well, I don’t know what you want me to do about this.” Odin said. “This has to do with your Midgardian friend. You take care of it.” With that, he walked away.

Thor looked back to the boy. He rubbed his hands together. “Okay. Okay. Ummmm.”

“For Father’s sake,” Loki mumbled. “Do you have that strange, what is it called… cell phone? The thing to contact the people of Midgard?”

“Yes. But I don’t see how that….”

“Go fetch it.”

Thor started to protest but stopped when his brother held up his hand. Thor walked out of sight. Minshun didn’t like the sound of this device. He wondered what it could be.

As they waited, Loki glared unrelentingly at the boy. Minshun tried to look everywhere except the Asgardian. The man made him uncomfortable.

“Here!” Thor cried from out of view. Minshun could hear him thundering down the corridor.

Loki outstretched his hand. His brother placed some small, metallic device in his palm. Loki scrunched his face as he fiddled it. He seemed to be having a hard time managing it. Thor tried to offer his assistance, but the green-clad man refused. After a while, Loki looked up beaming.

“Got it!”

He walked over the side of the forcefield and hit a button, causing the electric wall to fall.

“Stay still,” Loki ordered. He lifted the device and pointed it at the boy.

Minshun prepared himself for unimaginable pain. This was it. This was the moment he had been waiting for. He knew this man had been the one to be feared. When the so-called god pressed a button on it, a light flashed at him… and that was it. No pain. Just a flash. What was the point of that?

“Okay, now how do I send it in a message?”

“Oh, I know.” Thor stepped towards his brother.

“I will figure it out on my own!” Loki screamed, causing Thor to take a step back. Loki fiddled with the phone for a little longer before sighing and handing it back to his brother. “There. I have sent Stark a message instructing him to compare the baby and this boy with his fancy computer.”

“There’s only one problem with that.”

“Oh really? Do tell.”

“It won’t send. It’s too far. You have to be on Earth.”

Loki threw his arms up. “Of course. Well there is a simple solution to that problem. Go there.”

“Then why don’t we just bring him too?” Thor pointed at the boy.

“We are not going to bring a strange boy we know nothing about that was found with a group of vicious reptilian warriors and take him to earth. No. Stark can dig up whatever he can on the boy, and we will go from there.”

“That is very wise, brother.”

“Of course it is. It’s me who came up with it.”

“I will come back as soon as possible. Farewell.” Thor walked out of view.

Loki gave a slight wave with his fingers. He turned once more to Minshun. The boy didn’t like the way this man had just spoke about his people, but he wasn’t going to say anything. He had expressed too much of what he thought and felt as it was.

Loki called for a guard who brought a tray of food and placed it on the small table. Then, the two Asgardians exited the room, and the forcefield came down once more. They both walked away without a word.

Minshun collapsed into the chair, trying to understand what had just taken place.


	5. Chapter 5: Reuniting... With Strangers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to write Tony and Pepper as close to canon as possible. It's a little hard since I have no situations like this to base it off of. I feel like I get better as time goes on though.
> 
> Anyway. Hope you enjoy!

A guard brought Minshun food four more times. He had no idea how long he had been there. Alone. Slowly losing his mind in anticipation.

He refused to eat any of the food. He didn’t want to be poisoned. He was sure the food would do something bad to him. There was no way it was harmless. He did however brave the water the third time a tray was brought. He was parched, and he had sweat a lot during battle. He knew he couldn’t go too long without rehydrating. He dared to take a few small sips.

He grew bored. Thankfully, he had learned to manage boredom from training.

He created pictures and worlds in his mind. When he was younger, he found his imaginary world better than reality. Everyone was nice to him there. There was no pain or loneliness. It was easier. He didn’t know where these worlds came from. They always felt so familiar. So real. He knew they weren’t. He supposed they felt that way since they were figments of his subconscious.

Minshun jolted as doors far away slammed open. This was different than when the guards came in. It was more urgent. There were more footsteps. What was going on?

“Where is he?” a new voice called franticly. “Where is he?” He was running now, drawing closer and closer.

A man came into view. He was much shorter than the other Asgardians. He had clearly been crying. When he saw Minshun, he stopped. He stared at the boy, eyes wide. He appeared to have no idea what to do. Cautiously, the stranger stepped closer to the forcefield until he was nearly touching it. The man scanned him up and down many times.

The boy wanted to curl in on himself until he could no longer be seen. There was something about this that set him on edge. He pushed past every instinct in his body and stood tall. He balanced on his toes. That made him feel safer.

Thor and Loki silently joined the man. If he had to guess, Minshun would say this must be Stark. They guy he was supposed to know but didn’t. He didn’t look much like a torturer or weapons master, so why exactly had he been called?

“Peter,” the man whispered.

What did that mean? Was that name supposed to mean something to him? Was that another person they worked with and for some bizarre reason thought he should know? This was getting tiring.

The man continued.

“After all this time, it really is you. I thought I would never see you again. And then JARVIS ran a program and it said you were a match.” The man covered his face with his hands. Tears spilled down his already streaked face. “Do you remember me, kiddo?”

Minshun was uncomfortable. He had never seen this much emotion – besides rage – displayed openly. He didn’t know what to make of it. And what was this man talking about? He stared the man down, hoping he would keep talking and provide some answers. Or leave. He would be fine with either.

“Stark,” Thor said. “We told you. He hasn’t spoken at all.”

Stark turned to him. “Well of course he hasn’t talked to you, you nitwit. You’re strangers. But he might talk to his dad.”

Minshun furrowed his brows. His dad? This guy thought he was his dad? Why would he think that? That didn’t make any sense. He hadn’t seen this man in his life. Besides, he had a parent. Back on Camolia. One he had to get home to. He didn’t need another one.

He suddenly realized how big of a mistake it had been to come here.

Why had he come here? He should have just told Commander Harshin he and his team needed more time. Then, he would be safe at home. He would be with his real parent. He wouldn’t be confused. He wouldn’t be scared. He wouldn’t be hungry because he was scared of being poisoned. He wouldn’t… well, yeah, he would have aching muscles from fighting. He was always sore from training. But at least he would have been able to sleep in his own bed and get better rest to recover.

And that’s not even taking into account the horrors that keep flashing before his eyes. He had been trained for battle his whole life, but it had always been in simulations. There was very little blood or gore, and there were no dead comrades lying everywhere you look. There was no sense of complete hopelessness because the simulations would turn off and everything would reset. But here…. 

He hadn’t been ready. He hadn’t been ready for the blood and gore and corpses and screaming. He felt a pang in his chest as he realized he would never see those people walking around the base again. He would never fight alongside them in another battle. What was going to happen to them? Were these people going to treat their bodies with the respect they deserved? Or would the enemy treat them like trash? And what had happened to his team? Was Chacksli alive and well, all mended up? Or was his team down two members at the moment? Would he ever find out, or was he going to die here?

He should have stayed home.

His real home.

Minshun was snapped back into the present when the distant door slammed open once more. This time, it was a frantic woman instead of a frantic man.

“Tony! You cannot just leave me here! I don’t know where I’m going! I had to ask goodness knows how many people to find this place! Don’t you know I want to see my son just as much as you do?”

A woman with light red hair came into view. She was beautiful. Minshun had never seen a human woman before. Only men. He had seen pictures, but they were crude and did no justice. She stood tall, trying to keep her composure better than the man she stood beside. 

Minshun felt drawn to her. He couldn’t explain it. Involuntarily, he took a few steps forward to get a better look at her. He was curious. He couldn’t help it. He knew he shouldn’t. But he would probably die anyway. 

His steps towards her seems to take everyone by surprise, but he didn’t care about them. He cared about the woman whose tear-filled, blue eyes met his own. He hadn’t seen anything like them. Yet they felt so comforting. So welcoming. So… why did he keep thinking familiar?

As he continued to look at her, a light sparkled in her eyes. She gave him a sad smile. She spoke gently, like if she spoke too loudly he would disappear.

“Hey there.”

Minshun almost said hey back. Almost.

He stayed silent. He felt more comfortable with this woman. Maybe human women had some kind of special ability that made it harder to resist them. Who knows. He just knew how tempted he was to reply. How he felt at peace at the sound of her voice instead of the fear invoked by the other’s words.

The short man wrapped an arm around her, leaning to speak into her ear. How strange it was to display such physical relations in public. Was this normal for these people? If so, Minshun thought that was foolish. Did they not know that contact led to connection and connections were weaknesses? Amateurs.

Concentrating on their lips, he could just make out what they were saying.

“Pepper, they say he hasn’t spoken.”

Pepper turned to the man. “Well, that doesn’t mean a can’t try.”

She stepped closer to the forcefield and spoke slowly. “Can you speak for me, sweetheart? It’s okay if you don’t want to. I won’t force you. I know this whole thing must be very scary, and it makes perfect sense to not feel comfortable speaking. Maybe…. Maybe just nod your head for me. That isn’t too bad, is it? You think you can do that for me?”

Minshun pondered her proposition for a moment. It went against everything he was taught. He wasn’t supposed to engage. He couldn’t give them anything they wanted. That would bring dishonor to him and his mother and his tribe.

But she was so welcoming. There was no way she would hurt him, surely. She was not like the others. They were warriors. Soldiers. They would do anything. She wasn’t like that. She was commanding. The others listened to her. He could tell that much. But she wasn’t a soldier. She didn’t fight. She didn’t inflict pain.

Slowly, almost without knowing he was doing it, he nodded his head. It couldn’t hurt that much, right? He could always stop if they started interrogating him on more important matters.

The woman beamed at him. Her smile was huge and bright. It was the kind he had as a kid but was forced to hide. It was forbidden to show such emotion in the Alliance. But this woman’s smile was contagious, so he found himself returning a small grin.

“Okay, okay. Umm. You probably don’t remember me,” Pepper said. She spoke more quickly now. “After all, you were just a tiny thing last time we saw you. You were a few months old, and now you’re what? Fifteen? Yeah. Yeah, you would have turned fifteen last month. Wow. That’s crazy. Anyway, I’m Pepper.” She gestured to herself. “And this is my husband Tony.” She pointed to the short man. “Now, I don’t expect you to go by the name we gave you so long ago, so would you mind telling me what you call yourself?”

He gulped. Should he tell her? That seemed like something that should be classified. And he had been fighting so hard not to tell anyone. But the fact that no one seemed to know meant that they probably wouldn’t be able to make any connections with his name. And she had asked so much more nicely than the other men. Looking into her eyes, he gave into his feelings, throwing reason to the wind.

“Minshun,” he whispered.

She smiled at him. “Mission?”

“Min!” he said loudly. If she was going to know his name, he would not tolerate her getting it wrong.

Pepper put her hands up defensively. “Min-shun. Okay. Your name is Minshun.”

He nodded.

Her face contorted as she struggled to find what to say next. “That is a very unique name. I haven’t heard anything like it before.” She seemed to think this might be taken as an insult as she quickly added, “Not that it is bad. It’s good. I like it.”

Minshun didn’t know how to reply, so he just nodded again.

Tony stepped forward. “Well, Minshun… wow that’s weird to say. I’m not sure I can do that. So, could you tell us who those creatures you were with are? What did they do to you? Why did they bring you back now?”

Pepper touched the man’s shoulder and gave him a stern glare. “Tony. Give him a minute. We have plenty of time for that later.” She turned her attention back to the boy. “We want to take you back home. Is that okay?”

Minshun was overwhelmed with hope. These people were going to take him back to Camolia. Everything would be set right. This would all be some bad memory and nothing more.

He nodded eagerly.

The couple smiled at him widely. 

“Great. That’s great,” Tony said. “We will let you out of here, go get the stuff they took off you before throwing you in here, and then we will go back to earth.”

“Earth?” Minshun frowned. That’s not right. What were they talking about? Were they not taking him to Camolia? No no no no no. This wasn’t what he wanted. This couldn’t be right. This would just make everything worse. At least while he was on this planet, his people knew where he was and could possibly come back for him. If he went somewhere else, they would never find him.

“Yeah, kiddo. Earth. Home. Our home. Our big family’s home.”

Minshun’s heartrate shot out the roof. He couldn’t go with these people. He had to stay here. Or better yet escape.

The forcefield dropped. Tony and Pepper extended their hands for him to… grab? He wasn’t really sure, and he didn’t care to find out. He saw his way of escape. He shoved past them and sprinted down the corridor. He heard a commotion behind him, but he dared not look. That would slow him down. He had to keep his eyes on his target.

He was almost to the door when the same force as before slammed into his head, and he slipped once again into the dark depths of unconsciousness.


	6. Chapter 6: Going Home-ish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So. Even though we know Minshun is Peter, I am going to continue referring to him as 'Minshun' for the time being. That is to symbolize how he hasn't changed the view of himself yet. Therefore, he will only be called 'Peter' when someone else calls him that until he makes that mental switch. I thought I should clear that up before anyone got confused.
> 
> Now that that's out of the way, enjoy!

Minshun heard faint voices. He lay there – wherever there was; he wasn’t sure if he had been taken back to this earth yet – pretending to still be unconscious. Maybe he could gather some information.

“Why did he do that?” he heard Tony ask.

“He’s confused and scared,” Pepper replied.

“He seemed fine when we asked him if he wanted to come home with us. He seemed excited. Why would that change?”

“He probably thought we meant going with us back to his home. Where he has spent the last fifteen years, home. Not the home he can’t even remember. Think about it, Tony. If some stranger came to you and said ‘let’s go home’, would you question where you were going? Or would you accept that you were going to your home until you saw evidence otherwise? And would you continue going with said person when you realized they were taking you somewhere else?”

“Okay, I see your point. It’s just, I’ve been waiting so long. We both have. I almost gave up hope. And then I figure out he is alive and here. I guess I just wanted everything to go back to the way it was before.”

“I know. Me too. But it won’t happen in a few minutes. It might not happen at all. We have to be patient.”

“Oh, yes. That is a word that always described me.”

“Well, now’s the time to learn.”

The man sighed. “Hey, Pep. Give me that bag with his stuff.”

There were some shuffling sounds as she complied. He rummaged through the bag until he found something that caught his attention.

“Ohhh a gadget! I like gadgets! Pep! He makes gadgets! He can join me in the lab! We and Banner can be the Science Trio!”

“Oh, for crying out loud. Do you not realize how dangerous half the stuff you do in that lab is? It is not for children”

“Oh, come on. I’ll put some safety protocol or something on it.” He sighed happily. “I always knew junior would take after me. Well, in his love of science anyway. Let’s hope he gets his personality from you. I don’t think the world can handle two Tony Starks.”

“Ohhhh I know it can’t.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all.”

Minshun liked hearing their banter. It was like he and Hisha always did. There was no ill intent in the words. Just messing with one another. It showed how close they were. Minshun could tell these two were close. They were, supposedly, married after all, so he guessed that was a good thing. Everybody needed someone. He just hoped he could get back to his real home soon. Hisha would love to hear about this whole ordeal. She loved adventure.

He zoned back in on the conversation.

“Okay. So. What is it?” Tony asked. “It looks like some form of wrist thing. Let me see.” There was a pause. “Awesome. It fits. Okay. Now.”

“Tony, stop messing with it. It’s not yours. We don’t even know what it does.”

“Exactly. That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Maybe I can make it better. We can bond over that. That seems like a great idea.”

“Bonding, yes. Randomly pushing buttons on what looks like a weapon? No.”

“Ohhh red button!”

“Tony! Never press the red button!”

“But these are always the most fun.”

“Are you trying to kill me?”

“No. Fine.” There was a slight pause. “I’ll press the green one then.”

Minshun shot up, turning to face the couple. “Don’t press the green one!” he cried.

The two stared at him in surprise. Slowly, Tony took his hand away from the button, keeping his eyes locked on the boy the entire time. “Okay. No green button.” He paused and narrowed his eyes. “But now I’m curious. What does the green button do?”

Minshun turned his head away. He didn’t want to look at them anymore. He had spoken. Now they would want to know more. But he guessed he should tell them about his wrist device so they would stop messing with it.

“The green one emits poisonous gas.”

“Why?” The man seemed very concerned that he was so close to releasing poisonous gas on himself and his wife.

“Well, I don’t naturally have a poison sac in my mouth like the other Camolians, so I can’t spit venom at people. So, I made that to do it for me.”

“That’s actually genius,” Tony said. Minshun could hear him smiling. “What else does it do?”

“Red button unleashes claws. Black button ejects the claws as projectiles. Blue button makes webbing between my fingers for swimming.”

“You mean to tell me you made this device all on your own just to give yourself unnatural human abilities. To give you a leg up and put you level with – if not above – everyone else.”

“Something like that.”

Absolutely beaming, Tony turned to his wife. “He really is a mini me!”

The woman glared at him. She pointed her finger in his face. “Don’t even think about sending out son into battle with you. He is not a mini Ironman. He is a kid. I don’t care that he was fighting with a bunch of alien warriors. He does not need to be fighting major threats. Do you hear me?”

Tony put his hands up in defense. “As you wish.” He turned his attention back to the gadget and added quickly ”At least for now.”

“Anthony Edward Stark!”

“Well, you never know! He could be great in like fifty years.”

Pepper smacked her palm to her forehead. She turned to the boy and smiled gently. “Okay. Now that that’s out of the way, and we are all talking now, why don’t we talk about taking you home.”

Minshun gave his full attention to her. He looked her dead in the eyes as he spoke. “I want to go home. My home.”

“And where is that?”

“Camolia.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know where that is. But I do know where you were born. And we can take you there. You can learn to fit in there. You can be with us, your biological family.”

“Not to mention an entire team who is ready to welcome you,” Tony added.

Minshun crossed his arms and looked at the wall. “I already have a family. And a team. I want to go to them.”

He knew he was acting like a child. He couldn’t help it. He was done with this place. With these people. They seemed very nice, and the prospect of being with people like him was enticing. But they just didn’t get it. He had to get back home. He had to continue his mission to further the Alliance’s reach. He had to help his team. He had to go home to his mother, who he promised he would return to.

Pepper sighed. Her breath was shaky, and her eyes watered. “I understand that. I really do. But we couldn’t take you to them anyway. We have no idea where they are.”

Minshun hung his head, brought his knees to his chest, and wrapped his arms around them. Screw looking strong. He had already broken so many rules, why not one more. He was alone. He was hungry. He was scared. He was hurting. He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t see any hope. He wished he had been taken out in battle.

“Why don’t we make a deal, Peter. I mean, Minshun.” Pepper said. “If we, or anyone we know, has any contact with your people, we will let you know immediately. We will tell them we have you and....” She paused. “And are willing to give you back to them if you still want to go home.”

Mishun looked at her. “Really?” he asked softly.

She nodded. “Really.”

There was still hope for him. He could still go home. Surely, his people would come back to this vicinity soon. Then, he would return. He wouldn’t have to go with these people. He would be okay.

Pepper cleared her throat, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Until then, you can come with us.”

Minshun was about to shake his head when Pepper continued.

“Think about it. You can stay here, in this uncomfortable cell, all by yourself. Or, come back with us. You can have a nice room, delicious food, lots of new friends to talk to. Either way you have to wait. Would it not be better to have fun while doing so?”

He thought. Logically, it did make sense. Besides, these people did seem to know a lot about technology. Maybe, he could use some of their tech to find home. Or to send a signal. Or make something new to help him. 

He nodded his head. “Okay.”

The couple smiled at him. “Great.” Tony turned. “Guard! Open this thing! We’re taking him home!”

A guard came and lowered the forcefield. Cautiously, Minshun walked towards the two Starks. They both looked at his feet, noting how he walked on his toes. He realized no one else he had seen did that. Thankfully, they didn’t say anything about him doing so. 

Tony slid the wrist device off his arm and placed it in the bag before handing it over. Minshun gratefully accepted it. He felt better knowing he had everything from home.

Together, the trio walked down the corridor. When they walked through the doors, they entered a building like nothing Minshun could have imagined. It was so spacious and vibrant. Their footsteps echoed loudly. They walked on and on. How big was this place?

Eventually, they reached the fancy rainbow bridge. It took them forever to cross it. These people walked so slowly. How did they get anywhere? Minshun was so used rushing to keep up, yet he found himself having to slow down to not leave these people behind.

At the opposite end, there was a building. They walked inside and were greeted by an Asgardian. Tony nodded to the man.

“Take us home, Heimdall.”

Minshun followed Tony and Pepper onto a platform. Heimdall walked over to some sword-type-thing in the ground and turned it. Light surrounded them. It was such a strange feeling. This was nothing like the transportations he was used to. He didn’t like it.

Soon enough, they came to a stop.

Minshun was immediately greeted by overwhelming stimuli. There were so many unfamiliar noises and smells. The air was weird. The sun was weird. The clouds were weird. Everything was weird. It wasn’t right. He looked around. They were high up. Like, really high. There were on some platform connected to a giant tower. How was it standing up? The Alliance had never made something this tall. Minshun took a few steps to get a better grasp of his surroundings. This tower was higher than all the others. There were so many buildings and so much commotion below him. He crept even closer to the edge to get a better look.

“Woah, woah, woah!” Tony grasped his shoulder and pulled him back. “Don’t do that. We can’t have you falling from this height.” He turned the boy in the opposite direction and gestured to the tower. “Welcome home.”

What had he gotten himself into?


	7. Chapter 7: Examination

They walked into the building. Minshun looked around. This was clearly a high-tech facility. That part reminded him of the training center…. That was where the similarities ended. The three walked across the room and entered an elevator.

“JARVIS,” Tony said. “Take us to Banner.”

Who was Jarvis, and why would he work the elevator? Suddenly, they began their decent. Minshun had to admit. That was pretty cool. No need for buttons. Just speak where you want to go. Would it work for him, or just for Tony and Pepper? This place would take a lot of getting used to.

The doors opened, and they all stepped into a large room. There was a large screen with lots of chairs by it. A little farther over, there appeared to be a kitchen. I really fancy one. Like the one at the base back home. Not the one in his house.

A man rose from one of the chairs. He set down a book he had been reading and pulled some form of glass circles off his face. Was that supposed to help you read? He would figure it out later. Right now, he was watching the man get closer. He didn’t seem threatening. He was clearly not a warrior. He was too small for that. He didn’t hold himself like a soldier either. Much too timid.

“Hello. I’m Bruce Banner. You must be Peter. Nice to meet you.” The man awkwardly held out his hand.

Minshun stared at it. What was he supposed to do with that? Was it some custom where he was supposed to fight the man or something? Surely, this human knew he would lose to a warrior like himself.

Banner realized the boy had no clue what to do with hand, so he pulled it back and shoved it into a pocket.

Tony stepped forward. “Well, Doc, I was hoping you would take Peter here to the Med Bay and give him a full checkup.”

Banner glared blankly at his friend. “You do know I’m not that kind of doctor, right?”

“Eh, close enough. I’m sure you can do it. Besides, his last medical record was fifteen years ago, so he needs an examination.” Tony turned to the boy. “Pep and I have a few things to do real quick. You think you can go with Banner for a few minutes? We’ll be with you as soon as we can.”

Minshun didn’t think he had much choice, so he nodded.

“Great,” Tony replied. He clapped the doctor on the shoulder. “Take care with him. He’s….” he trailed off.

Banner nodded his head in understanding. “Got it.”

“Thanks.” The man walked with Pepper, who made a quick wave to her son, into the elevator and disappeared.

Banner cleared his throat. “So. You ready?” He waited for a response.

Minshun nodded and lowered his head. 

He wasn’t ready. How could he be ready? He didn’t know what to expect. He didn’t know what to prepare for. He didn’t like the sound of being examined. Whenever the Camolians would examine him, it involved a lot of pain. And needles. He would be sore for days. His body would do weird things afterwards. He was never the same, although it often helped him get better at things. They said they found problems with him and fixed him up, which was nice of them. But that didn’t make it hurt any less. It never went very smoothly either since they were used to working on Camolian patients. They didn’t understand the human body well enough. That was probably why it hurt so much. But these humans surely knew about the human body already. And they saw he was moving around fine. From what he could tell, he was in better shape than them, not worse and in need of medical improvement. So what was the point of being examined?

“Don’t worry,” Banner said, resting his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I’ll be gentle. It’ll be painless. It’ll just help us get to know your body and see how we can help you. Make sure you’re growing right.”

Minshun stared at the hand resting on him. Was this man trying to provide physical comfort? How many times he had longed for something like this and been denied. And yet this absolute stranger was giving it to him naturally. Was it an instinct for him too? Was it not that strange? Was it a human thing? He had seen Tony and Pepper be physical. 

Maybe it would be okay to get to know the humans a little bit. He could learn what was just him, and what was actually normal for his biological people. Then, he could destroy it and become a better Camolian.

The man stepped towards the elevator, causing the physical connection to break. Minshun would be lying if he said he didn’t miss it. He looked at the man who was smiling at him. He followed him into the elevator.

“JARVIS, take us to the Med Bay.”

The elevator started to move.

Banner looked at Minshun. “JARVIS is an AI – an artificial intelligence – that your father created.”

Father? Oh. He meant Tony. That made sense.

Banner continued. “He goes through the building. He helps control things like doors and lights. And the elevator. You can also ask him questions, and he will answer them for you.”

Minshun was glad for the explanation. He didn’t know how to convey this, so he just nodded.

The doors opened, and the two stepped out into a room full of tables and screens and other contraptions. Banner instructed him to lie down on a table, and he obeyed. Banner pressed some buttons, and a light swept over the table. Minshun flinched, expecting it to hurt. He felt nothing.

“See,” Banner said. “I told you it wouldn’t hurt. That was just taking a scan of your insides.”

That was a lot easier than the Camolian’s method.

The man pressed more buttons, and there were more scans. Minshun stayed as still as possible. He was scared if he moved something would go horribly wrong or he would get in trouble. Once the doctor seemed satisfied, he asked the boy to remove his clothes. Minshun hopped off the table, stripped, and hopped back on the table.

Banner’s eyes widened. Minshun followed his eyes. He was staring at the plentiful scars he accumulated through the years. There were also some fresh bruises and gashes from his recent battle. They weren’t nearly as bad as they had been. He healed quick. But they were still unpleasant. Minshun hoped this man would help with those. He had not treated his wounds a few times when he was younger, and the infection was horrible. He never wanted to deal with that again.

Banner washed his hands and pulled on a pair of gloves. He gathered various containers and tools and placed them on the table beside him. Then, he wet a cloth and walked towards him. He started wiping away the dried blood. He was much gentler than the doctors back home. Honestly, it felt sort of nice.

“So, tell me about yourself,” the man said as he worked. “What do you like to do?”

Minshun was silent. What did he want him to say? Was there a wrong answer? He must have been silent too long as Banner spoke again.

“Oh, come on. There has to be something you do all the time. Something you’re good at. Don’t be shy.”

Minshun thought for a moment. “I’m the best in training.”

Banner looked up from his work expectantly. “Oh really?” He started cleaning the wounds once more. “And what kind of training is that?”

“Fighting. For the Alliance. For the war.” What other kind of training would he be talking about?

“That makes sense looking at you,” the man replied. “And you say you’re the best at it?”

Minshun nodded.

“Has it always been like that?”

“No. I was the worst for a long time. But….” He almost said Hisha’s name, but he caught himself. Just to be safe, he wouldn’t give her name to the humans. And he better not tell him about the examinations that somehow fixed him. He would stick with basic and vague answers. “My friend helped me. And my inventions. Now, I’m the captain of my own squadron.”

“Is that why you were with all the soldiers on Asgard? To help fight?”

He nodded.

“And what is this war over, if I might ask?” Banner put the cloth down and started rubbing some salve onto the wounds.

Minshun couldn’t believe this man had never heard of it before. His entire life revolved around it. He couldn’t imagine anything else.

“It is to bring peace. All worlds will be united under the Alliance. It is the way of the Great Mediator. Hollowed me his name. Without him, there would be no end to killing. Now, killing is only a side effect of denying his ways. Once each planet sees the truth, they give in, and all war ceases. It is the ultimate peace.”

Banner raised an eyebrow. “Well then.” He paused for a moment, thinking of what to say next. “Peace is an honorable cause.”

“It is a great honor to fight and die for the Great Mediator. Hollowed be his name.”

The man blinked at him. “Therapists are gonna have a field day with you,” he mumbled.

The door opened, and Tony stepped out. He walked over to the two, looking slightly irritated. “Pepper had an emergency to handle. She had to head on a business trip. She could have shot lasers from her eyes she was so mad, but she couldn’t do anything to stop it. She told me to come up here and fill her in later. So, what have we got so far?”

Banner closed the various containers and pulled off his gloves. “Well, I cleaned his current injuries and put some antibacterial cream on them to prevent infection. A few of them should have had stitches, but they wouldn’t do any good now. It’s been too long since he got them.”

Tony ran his fingers through his hair. Minshun couldn’t help but notice the action. He did the same thing all the time. Maybe that was another human thing.

Banner walked over to one of the large screens. “It’s what the scans show that concerns me more.” He turned the screen so everyone could see it. He pulled up an image of what Minshun assumed was his insides. That was so unnatural. Intriguing, but unnatural.

As he spoke, Banner gestured to various parts of the body on the screen. “There are numerous broken bones that were not reset and healed incorrectly. His ligaments and tendons are very loose from contorting and dislocations. There is a lot of scar tissue throughout his body. Portions of organs are missing. Liver. Intestines. Spleen. Pancreas. Kidney. I’m not overly concerned since he has enough of them to still function, but it needs to be monitored to ensure it stays that way. Some of his internal organs are shifted. It’s clear whoever stitched him up had no understanding of anatomy and was just shoving things where it looked like they went. He is malnourished. His metabolism is extremely high, even for a teenage boy. Also, his feet have a lot of strain on them and could cause major problems if not fixed soon.”

Tony leaned heavily onto the table. He exhaled deeply, rubbing his eyes. “Okay. Okay, what does this all mean? What can we do for him?”

Minshun was wondering the same thing. He didn’t understand half of what was just said, but it didn’t sound good. Although, he was scared if they messed with his body, it would ruin all the progress he made in keeping up with the other Camolians.

Banner turned towards them. “Well, as I said, I don’t see anything urgent with the internal organs and scar tissue. We definitely need to keep an eye on it, but I doubt it will cause problems any time soon. For the malnourishment, we just need to make sure he eats a lot of healthy foods. From what I can tell, the whole feet issue is due to his walking on his toes. If he walks naturally, it will hopefully shift to the correct position, and he will be fine.”

Tony nodded in thought. “Okay. We can work with that.” He took a deep breath and walked towards the elevator. “Come on, kid. First things first, let’s get you some food.”

Food. Oh, that sounded amazing. He hadn’t eaten in goodness knows how long. And he didn’t think they would poison him now.

He hopped off the table and walked towards Tony.

The man held up his hand, stopping him in his tracks. “You heard the Doc. Stop the toe thing. Walk like a normal human.”

Minshun looked from his feet to Tony and back to his feet. He didn’t want to do that. He didn’t want to be a human. And he felt vulnerable when he walked with his whole foot. He felt short. He felt like he would be taken down with ease.

But he didn’t think he had a choice. He didn’t want to get on these people’s bad side. Who knows what they would do. They may never let him out of here.

He dropped his heels until his whole foot touched the ground. He took a step forward, consciously making his heel hit the ground first. It was such a strange sensation. He didn’t like it. He hoped he would get home soon so everything would return to normal.

He looked at Tony, making sure his walking was satisfactory to the man. He seemed pleased as he continued into the elevator, Minshun close on his heels.

“So. What do you want to eat? Name anything. Anything at all.”


	8. Chapter 8: First New Friend

“Stew?”

Minshun nodded. The man had said he could ask for anything at all. What he wanted was stew. The kind his mother made when they saved up enough and were celebrating. It was always so warm in his stomach. It was the feeling of home. His real home. He missed it. He missed his mother. He hoped she was okay. She was probably worried sick over him. He hoped he would get to console her with his presence soon.

Tony looked at the boy in disbelief as they exited the elevator. “That’s it? Just stew?”

Minshun hesitated. “And bread.”

“Out of everything this world has to offer, you want stew and bread?”

He nodded.

Tony shook his head. “Oh no. That is unacceptable.”

Minshun gulped. He hoped he hadn’t offended the man too much. Was that too great of a thing to ask for? He would surely be punished.

“You think I know how to make that? I’m ordering pizza,” the man said. The boy blinked at him in confusion. Tony huffed. “Okay, so it’s not much of an upgrade. Definitely not healthy, but we have plenty of time for that later. You need good, kid food now.”

Kid food? What made something kid food? In Camolia, kids ate the same foods as adults. It was just pre-chewed by their parents. He really didn’t want to eat food this guy pre-chewed.

To his delight, this strange pizza was delicious. And not regurgitated by Tony. Minshun ate a whole circle of the stuff. Tony seemed impressed by this as he only ate a small portion in comparison. He hoped he didn’t offend the man. He was simply used to eating as much as he could as he often went a long time without food. Especially when he was younger. It was sort of a ‘strongest eat first’ thing. It wasn’t until recently that he was able to eat his fair share. And that was only at the base. At home, he and his mother were among the elite when they received their one meal each day.

As they ate, Tony turned on the large black screen they were sitting by. Footage started playing of all kinds of events, and a voice narrated what was happening. Tony explained it was the news, showing what had been happening on earth recently. Minshun saw violence and war was a prominent topic.

“The Alliance should come help earth next.”

“Hmm?” Tony looked at the boy questioningly.

“There is so much pain and death. If the people of earth would accept the ways of the Great Mediator – hollowed be his name – there would be complete peace.”

Tony cocked his eyebrow at the comment. “You don’t say?”

“Oh yes. When the Alliance shows a planet the truth, there is no room for anything else. Those who defy the ways of the Great Mediator – hollowed be his name – are taken away and gotten rid of. They’re never seen again, so they cannot affect the peace anymore. Then, everyone else lives in harmony with the rest of the galaxy under the Alliance.” He took another bite of his food and turned his gaze back to the news.

“We have got to get a someone to talk to you,” Tony mumbled. “Therapist, Rogers, Romanoff. Literally anyone who can deal with war and brainwashing.”

Minshun wasn’t sure what he meant by that. He wasn’t brainwashed. He simply saw the truth. Everyone here would see it soon enough. Maybe that was why he was here. The universe had placed him on earth to prepare it and make the Alliance’s job easier. It would be an honor to perform such a task.

There was a ringing, and Tony pulled a small device – What had Thor and Loki called it? A phone? – out of his pocket.

“Oh you have got to be kidding me,” he groaned. He turned to Minshun as he stood up. “I’ll be right back.” He walked across the room, holding the device to his ear.

“What is it, Pirate? I’m busy.”

Long pause.

“I don’t care. Is the world ending? Wait, don’t answer that. Just get Rogers to handle it.”

Shorter pause.

“What do you mean he asked for me? No. That doesn’t sound like him.”

Another long pause.

“Well, ask your agents to – You can’t take away my suit! I’ll just build another one!”

Pause. 

“I just got my kid back! Do you have any idea what that’s like? I can’t leave him.”

Brief pause.

“What do you mean you don’t care? How could you….”

Extremely long pause. 

Tony sighed and hung his head. “I’m not getting out of this am I?... Fine. I’ll be there as quick as I can.”

Tony walked over to Minshun as he shoved the phone in his pocket. “Turns out I gotta go. World to save, one-eyed pirate to annoy. Same as usual. Anyway, I really wish I could stay here with you since you just got back, but I can’t control these things. I’m sure you’ll be fine. You seem old enough to stay by yourself, right? You know what? JARVIS?”

A man’s voice sounded from seemingly nowhere, causing an unsuspecting Minshun to jump. “Yes, sir?”

“Help the kid out. Answer any questions he has. Take him anywhere he needs to go until I get back. Wait. Not any of the Stark Industry floors. Or the weapons room. Or any exits. Or anywhere dangerous.”

“So basically just the bathroom?”

“Oh, don’t get snippy with me.” The man turned to his son. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Have fun exploring your new home.” He tussled the kid’s hair and exited the room.

Minshun sat alone. He was surprised everyone had left him by himself, out in the open. Although, he supposed Tony had given restrictions to his helper in the walls.

He quickly grew bored of the news. It was just the same thing over and over again. Pain. Suffering. Death. All of them made him sick. They all seemed avoidable. He didn’t want that for anyone. That’s one reason he had been so diligent when training for the Alliance. He wanted to help people – end their suffering and war and unnecessary deaths. The Alliance did that. So, he gave it everything he had. And he would continue to do so from afar.

On the note of his training, he hadn’t done anything physical in a while now. He was getting antsy from all this sitting. Besides, training always made him feel better. Always cleared his head. Something he really needed about now. And why should he give it up just because he wasn’t at the base? He could still get stronger here. Then, he would be ready to go back into action when he got home. His real home.

But where could he find a place to train?...

“JARVIS?” he questioned hesitantly. To be honest, he didn’t expect a response.

“Yes, young sir?” the disembodied voice replied.

“Is there a training area here?”

“Indeed. Would you like me to take you there?”

“Yes.”

The elevator door opened. Minshun hopped off his seat and ran into the elevator. The doors closed behind him, and he felt himself being lowered. Soon enough, the doors slide open, and he stepped out into a spacious room.

He took in the area. There were multiple roped-off square platforms. They looked like you would fight in them. Along one wall were weights and strange machines of all sorts and sizes. He recognized some of them from the strength training room at the base. Most of them were unfamiliar to him, though. In another place, there were contraptions with poles and buttons that appeared to have a track for a bottom. But it didn’t make sense. What was the point of running on something so short? In the farthest corner, there were long bags hanging from the ceiling. Those looked like the perfect thing to punch. There were also targets of all sizes and heights scattered throughout the room.

Minshun decided to punch the bags. That would get some of his emotions out. That’s what he had been taught to do. Bundle up all your emotions, and then let them out in a fight. But he didn’t think he was getting into a real fight any time soon, so he would just fight an inanimate object. It would have to do.

He ran towards the area. His toes lightly hit the floor with each stride, silently pushing off and propelling him forward with great force. His heels never hit the floor. What Tony and Banner didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them, right? He wanted to be at the top of his game as he trained.

As he ran, a blur of movement caught his attention. He stopped and turned.

In one of the rope squares, there was a woman with bright red hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was dressed entirely in black and held a staff. She moved fluidly, displaying perfect form. It was truly a sight to behold. Her back was to him and she had something in her ears, so she was unaware of his approach.

He was completely entranced by her movements. It was so much smoother than that of the Camolians. She looked like him when he fought. Well, not entirely. He did use Camolian tactics. But she looked more like him than a giant, reptilian humanoid. Maybe when his people came for him, they could take her too. Then, he wouldn’t be the only human. She would be a great asset.

As he watched, he realized he longed to spar with her. To see just what she was capable of.

He looked around until he spotted a table with a wide variety of weapons and gloves. He scanned them until he found what he was looking for. A staff. He picked it up and slipped silently through the ropes, awaiting his moment.

The woman made a particularly impressive move and turned towards him. Minshun stepped forward and lifted his staff to collide with hers.

Her green eyes widened for a second as she wasn’t expecting this. She quickly recovered from the surprise, and a grin spread across her face. He found himself returning it.

She pulled back and squatted into a fighting stance. He did the same. She pulled the earpieces out and tossed them to the ground outside of the ring. They began circling each other, never breaking eye contact.

Minshun made the first move. He stepped forward and swung at her. She easily blocked it. She spun and used her inertia to push him backwards. He quickly regained his balance and went in for another attack.

This continued for some time. He would attack, and she would use his force against him. She was a great fighter. He enjoyed sparring with her. It was a challenge.

She kept targeting his legs and feet. She must have thought his unnatural footing would be a disadvantage.

At one point, he had her pinned. He was using his weight and height and forced himself down on her. She had no way out. Or so he thought. She twisted her staff, and it split into two batons. He had been pushing so hard at the middle that he fell forward. She swept at his legs one last time and brought him to his knees. She sprung herself over his left shoulder and locked the batons at his neck. He had lost.

She quickly let go, and he turned to look at her. “Good job,” she said. “Most people don’t make it that long against me.”

“I could say the same to you.”

She raised an eyebrow at his comment. “Interesting footwork. Your style is unfamiliar too. Who do you work for?”

“The Alliance.”

“Haven’t heard of them.”

He grinned. “You will.” He lifted his staff. “Go again?”


	9. Chapter 9: Ready, Aim, Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of my favorite representations of Clint are as when he acts like that super cool uncle that can get really serious when need be but is usually just a giant kid. And he goes through the air vents a lot....
> 
> So that's what I did. And I love it. I hope you do too.
> 
> Enjoy!

Every muscle in his body ached as Minshun set down the staff.

He felt great. He and the red-haired woman had dueled for hours. She always ended up winning, but he came pretty close a few times. That was okay. Sure, he would have liked to have won. Who wouldn’t? But this way would just make his eventual victory more rewarding.

“Phew. That was great,” the lady said. She walked over to him, wiping sweat off her face with a towel. “You want to come with me and grab something to eat?”

Minshun liked this woman. Maybe it was just something about human women that he liked. But this was different from his attraction to Pepper. That was more emotional. With this lady, it was more like an understanding. A warrior bond type thing. He wouldn’t mind spending more time with her. But, he had already eaten so much today. He didn’t know where he was on the chain here, so he didn’t want to come across as greedy and piss someone off.

He shook his head. “I already ate today. Maybe we could meet up later? Or tomorrow?” He really hoped she would say yes.

“With all the work you just did, you need to eat again. Gotta keep you in tip-top shape.” She walked towards the elevator and beckoned for him to follow. “Come on. I won’t take no for an answer. And you’ve seen I can back that up.”

Minshun complied. She would definitely beat him if she decided to fight him over it. Besides, if someone got mad at him for eating more than one meal that day, he would blame it on her.

The elevator doors closed behind them. “Common room,” the woman said. They began to rise.

She turned to the boy. “Natasha Romanoff, by the way.”

“Mishun.”

“Interesting name. Haven’t heard that one before.”

He hummed in response.

The doors open and they stepped out. Natasha walked straight into the kitchen and started rummaging around.

“What brings you here? You recruited for the Avengers?”

“Avengers?”

Halting her work, the agent glanced at the boy with a hint of surprise. This quickly faded, and her stoic expression returned. “I’ll take that as a no.” She stared at him. Minshun felt as if she was analyzing his very soul. This woman seemed like she could figure out everything about you without you saying or doing anything.

She leaned onto the counter, analyzing his face. “You’re Stark’s kid, aren’t you? The missing one he went to pick up from Asgard?”

“Apparently.” 

He wished people would stop associating him with the man. He knew nothing about him. Maybe they were biologically related. Maybe not. He didn’t care. He had gone on just fine without these people. He would be just fine leaving them for his real home and people.

“And how does that make you feel?” she inquired as she continued her rummaging.

Minshun blinked at her. She wanted to know how he… felt? No one had ever asked him that before. Feelings were fleeting. Meaningless. They just hindered you. They were supposed to be ignored. Suppressed. Definitely not shared or talked about. Yet here this great fighter was, asking about his feeling.

He thought for a moment. He shrugged. He didn’t know what he was supposed to say. The concept of sharing feelings was just too strange for him to partake in.

Natasha hummed. “Well, I must say, you weren’t what I was expecting.”

She poured the contents of a box into a pan, poured water in it, and pressed a button. “JARVIS, set a timer for fifteen minutes.”

“Timer set.”

Natasha walked over to the counter and hopped onto it. She crossed her legs and leaned back, her hands supporting her from behind. She turned her head towards the boy.

“Can I give you some advice?” she said.

Minshun nodded. He always welcomed help and instruction, especially from someone as clearly superior as this woman.

“We in this tower are an… odd… group. We are a huge, mismatched family. You can fit right in. But only if you choose to try. It’ll take some effort. From everyone. I don’t think it’ll be too hard for most of us. I for one see you as the young adult and capable fighter you seem to be. Some might not see you that way. Especially Stark. Last time he saw you, you were a baby. His baby. Now, you’re not. I don’t know everything you’ve been through, but I can see you’ve been through some pretty intense training. Physically and mentally. Stark might not get that. He never had the same conditioning as you and I. It will take patience and a lot of convincing for him to accept you as you are, not as he thinks you should be. Do you think you’re ready for that?”

Minshun didn’t reply. He didn’t know what to say. What she had stated made sense. He was a very different person from what he had been in his youth. And this world was so different than his own. It only made sense that some people wouldn’t understand his ways. How could they?

But Minshun didn’t want to stick around long enough to change that. He wanted to go home. Sure, this place wasn’t all bad. He liked Natasha. He liked the food. People seemed nice. They didn’t evoke pain.

But it wasn’t where he was supposed to be. He was supposed to be home, furthering the Alliance. That was the only thing he had wanted to do all his life. He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to go home. He hoped his people would hurry up and find him. Who knows. Maybe after the Alliance took over earth, they would set up a base here, and he could still be friends with everyone and eat the delicious food.

There was a shuffling in… the walls? Suddenly, a grate high on the wall clattered to the floor. A man slid out of the space and landed on the ground. He had short, brown hair and stood about the same height as Tony. He wore black clothing very similar to Natasha.

Natasha crossed her arms as she watched. “Really, Barton? Can you not use the doors like a normal person?”

“Hey. I take offense that you would even consider me normal.” He bent down and grabbed the vent. He skillfully placed it back in its original position. “Besides, my way is much more fun.” He turned, stopping when he saw Minshun. He turned to the red head. “Who’s the new guy?”

“Stark’s kid,” Natasha replied.

“Ohhh.” He squinted at the boy. “Not what I was expecting.”

Natasha grinned. “He’s a great fighter. You should have seen him sparring with me.”

Barton cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t say?” He turned to the boy. “You a good shot?”

Minshun thought back to all the target practice he had done over the years. That was one of the few things that came naturally to him. Throwing knives. Tossing ropes. Aiming blasters. Whatever it was, he would get it where he wanted it. Granted, he didn’t have much competition since Camolians had poor eyesight comparatively. But, he still had to have at least some talent to hit the targets.

“I’m decent,” he replied.

“You ever shot a bow?”

“No. Only been shot at by them.”

“What have these people been teaching you, you poor, deprived child? What a cruel existence you have lived without being given the opportunity to use such a magnificent weapon.” 

Minshun shrugged. “They always said bows were crude weapons in comparison to everything else we had.”

Clint gasped. “How dare they lie.” He grabbed the boy’s arm and started pulling him away. “I must show you the truth and beauty of archery right away.”

“Clint, we were about to eat some pasta. We were sparring for hours.”

“Well save us both big bowls. We have a lot of work to do.”

Minshun soon found himself back in the training room with Natasha’s friend. He followed the man towards another rack of weapons. Clint picked up a bow. Then, picked up a sack full of arrows and slung it over his shoulder.

“Okay. I have no idea how much you know already, but it doesn’t sound like a lot. I’m just going to explain everything. Here’s your bow.” He held up the bow. “These.” He pointed to the arrows. “Are arrows. You take the arrow.” He pulled one out. “You notch it to the string like so.“ He hooked the feathered end to the string. “You ready it.” He pulled the string and feathered end back until the string formed a sharp angle and only the pointed tip remained in front of the bow. “And then you shoot.” Without even looking, the man turned it to the side and released his grip on the string and arrow. The arrow whizzed through the air and hit a target dead center on the far wall.

Minshun raised an eyebrow. He had never used something like this back home. All the shooting weapons were automatic. He just aimed and pulled a trigger or pressed a button. This took more skill. It was a more honorable weapon, as it involved more practice and training. 

He wanted to shoot it.

“It’s cool isn’t it?” Clint asked, smiling down at him,

“Cool?” Why was this man talking about temperature?

Clint looked at him in surprise. A wave of recognition passed over his face. “Oh. That’s right. You aren’t from around here. Umm. Cool. It means…. Awesome. Entertaining. Interesting. Great. Fantastic. Unique. You can pretty much say it about anything you like. You can also use it as a response. Like when you learn something new.”

Minshun paused. “Cool.”

Clint chuckled. “There you go. Now you got it. Now,” he tossed the bow and arrows to the boy. “Let’s see how good you are.”

Minshun slung the arrows over his shoulder like Clint had done. He started shifting the bow in his hands, trying to figure out how to hold it.

“Here,” Clint stepped closer to him. “Are you right or left eyed?”

Minshun blinked at him. That was an odd question. He had both eyes. Like everybody else. “I use both.”

Clint chuckled. “I mean, what eye is stronger? Which one sees clearer? That determines which hand you hold it in.”

Minshun closed one eye and then the other over and over. Finally, he turned to the man and shrugged. “Seems the same to me.”

“Are you right or left handed?”

“I have both. They are both strong.”

“Okay. You know what? We’ll just. Okay. Hold the handle here.” He pointed to a spot in the middle. “In your right hand. Then, pull back with your left. That’s how I do it. We can always switch if we need to.”

With his left hand, the boy reached behind his back and grasped an arrow. He pulled it forward and latched it onto the string as he had seen Clint do. He pulled it back to shoot.

“Now, look down the shaft of the arrow. Aim the tip of the target slightly above your destinations. Gravity will bring the arrow downwards. The farther your target it, the more upwards you need to adjust it.”

Minshun closed his left eye, looked down the arrow, aimed at the target with Clint’s arrow in it, and fired.

He missed by a long shot.

“Hey, don’t worry. You twisted your wrist as you let go. That’s completely natural for a first timer. Try again. You’ll get it.”

Minshun tried again. And again. And again. Each time, he took the archer’s words into account. He would get this right. He would hit his target. He wouldn’t quit. He wasn’t a failure. He had spent too much of his life pushing himself to allow that.

Soon enough, Minshun hit the target. He hit it again. And again. Each time, he got closer and closer to the center. With his last shot, the arrow landed right beside Clint’s in the center.

“Awesome job!” Clint said turning to him. “You’re a natural. Much better than Stark.”

Minshun liked that this man said ‘Stark’ and not ‘your father’. He and Natasha seemed to get him. He liked them. Deep down, he wished those two had been his secret, biological parents. It would have made more sense. Together, the three of them could do great things for the Alliance.

He put the bow back in its place. He and Clint walked side by side into the elevator and went back to the common room kitchen. Sitting on the counter, there were two massive bowls of some delicious smelling food.

“Hey!” Clint exclaimed. “I didn’t think she would actually do it. She probably left some because of you. She has a soft spot for kids. Especially those raised as soldiers.”

Both guys sat on a stool at the counter and started eating their food. It was delicious. Minshun couldn’t believe he had eaten two whole meals today. And large ones. That was insane. Almost unheard of. These people must be crazy privileged.

He caught the archer looking at him.

The man smiled at him. “You know, I think I’m gonna like having you around. I’m glad they found you.” He went back to eating his food.


	10. Chapter 10: Fun and Games

Minshun sat on the couch, eyes plastered to the screen, fingers moving nimbly as they manipulated the controller.

Clint had taken the liberty of introducing him to Mario Cart.

Minshun loved it. He thought it was a great way to keeps one’s senses sharp. It was like the flying simulations back home. Only much less destructive. And more fun. He had only done those a few times. It was an honor to have done any at all at his age. But he had loved those simulations then, and he loved this game now.

He had to admit, the images on the screen were very unnatural. He had never seen any of those species or planets. Maybe these people could take him to them. He was learning more and more that he could tell the Alliance. They would be proud of him for his work here for sure. Maybe he could even get promoted.

“You have got to be kidding me!” Clint cried as the boy beat him for the third time. He glared at the boy, but Minshun could tell he wasn’t actually threatening him. “You’re cheating, aren’t you? That’s the only explanation as to how you could beat the master.”

Minshun raised his head high. “Nope. I’m just better than you.”

“Oh. Oh no. No. No no. Not okay, man. Not okay.”

Minshun found himself laughing at the man’s antics. He felt so comfortable with him, so he didn’t need to hold absolutely everything inside. It was like when he spent time with Hisha or Chacksli back home. They would have friendly, competitive banter like this. Sure, they were his age, and this man was definitely higher up on the chain of command, but that didn’t seem to matter to him. Clint viewed the boy as a friend. An equal. They understood each other. At least somewhat. He liked that. It felt nice.

“You know what.” Clint rose from the couch and walked over to the screen. “We’re gonna play a different game. One you can’t cheat on.”

“If that’ll make you feel better.”

“Yes. Yes, it will. Let’s see here.” 

The man flipped through all the games he had. He didn’t seem satisfied with any of them until he reached the end. “Aha! Perfect!” He quickly put the game in and shuffled back to the couch. He looked at the boy with a childish grin. “I’ve been wanting to try this for ages, but no one wanted to play with me. And it’s much more fun with someone else.”

“What is it?” Minshun asked curiously. Was it another transportation type game? Or could this one be some other form of training? Like shooting? Or hand-to-hand combat?

Clint threw his arms in the air. “Lego Avengers!”

Minshun stared at him blankly. He recognized the Avengers. That was the thing Natasha had said. He supposed it was a soldier organization of some kind since she had asked if he was a recruit. But what did they do exactly? And what was a lego?

“Oh kid, you are gonna love this,” Clint said, eyes wide with anticipations.

As the game loaded, the man got more and more excited. Minshun found it amusing that a grown man of such skill was acting so carefree and child-like. Humans were weird. Not that he didn’t have the same tendencies. He would feel all giddy over the stupidest things. But he had been taught to control that. Were the people of earth taught differently? He couldn’t begin to imagine living life continually expressing your feelings.

The game loaded. It looked very different from Mario Cart. It was very blocky. It looked nothing like reality. What was the point of that?

Clint kept pushing a lot of buttons. The screen kept changing. Minshun supposed he was getting it ready to work. Eventually, a screen came up for them to pick a person to play as.

He looked through the characters. They looked very strange. There was a man with clunky red and gold armor. There was a man with a red, white, and blue suit and a shield. There was… was that Thor? That was weird. And Loki? There was stocky, humanoid, grey alien. There was a giant, angry, green man. And a man in black with a bow. And….

“Is that Natasha?”

“Yeah. It’s the Avengers.” He turned to the boy who stared back at him in confusion. “No one explained the Avengers to you?”

Minshun shook his head.

“Well that seems like some pretty vital information since you are living with them. Okay. Where to start?” He put down his controller and turned to the expectant boy.

Clint cleared his throat and started talking in a deep voice in an overly serious fashion. “There was an idea. Called the Avenger Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people. To see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when the world needed them to. To fight the battles no one else could. To be heroes.”

Clint paused, deep in thought as if remembering something. He shook his head. “Anyway. We, the, Avengers, were organized by an agency called SHIELD. Nat and I worked for them before we became the Avengers. Technically, Rogers did too. But that was a while ago. Together, we Avengers take out threats to the world. We save people when no one else can. Ultimately, we just help people. Save their lives. Bring peace.”

“Like the Alliance?”

“What alliance?”

“The Alliance. It brings peace to all under it. It stops war and suffering and death. It helps people. That’s why I work for them.”

Clint tilted his head. “Interesting. Is that why you’re a soldier?”

He nodded. “They have been training me for a long time. They thought it would be useful to have a human. And I wanted to work for them. It’s been my dream as long as I can remember.” He paused. “You and Natasha would do well with the Alliance. They would like you.”

The archer looked at Minshun, thinking. “I’ve never heard of them, but it sounds like a fair cause. And if they trained you, they must be doing something right. Maybe you could tell me more about them later.”

Minshun smiled. “I would be glad to.”

This was great. If this continued, he could convert this man to the truth. Then, he could help others see the truth. And if the Avengers were as big of a deal as it sounded like, the rest of the planet would soon follow. Things were looking better for him now. His commander would be proud.

He turned his attention back to the screen. Clint had picked the man with the bow. Apparently, his name was Hawkeye.

“That’s me, by the way,” Clint said. “That’s Stark. He’s known as Ironman.” He pointed to the red and gold man. “That’s Captain America.” That was the man with the shield. “That’s Black Widow.” He pointed to Natasha. “That’s our precious Doctor Bruce Banner.” That was the green man. That was odd. Banner wasn’t green. Or angry. “That’s Thor and his crazy brother, Loki. And that’s a Chitauri soldier, one of the aliens Loki brought to earth.” He pointed to the grey alien.

“Loki brought them to earth? Why aren’t they here now?”

“Oh. That’s a long story,” Clint said. “Let’s see. What’s the shortest way to explain this?”

He sighed. “Okay. So long story made super short, Loki came to earth to steal this thing called the Tesseract. What this is isn’t important. Just know he came to take it. We, the Avengers, united to stop him. After that, an army of Chirauri came to earth and attacked us. We had to fight them off.”

“If Loki and Thor are your enemy, why do you still communicate with them?”

“Thor helped us take down his brother, so that’s why we are in contact with him. I’m not sure about Loki. I want nothing to do with the guy.”

Minshun hummed in understanding. He still had a lot of questions, but he was sure they would be answered in time. 

For now, he was going to play with Clint. He picked Natasha’s character. He didn’t know enough about anyone else to feel comfortable picking them. He did know Natasha was a good fighter, so he couldn’t go wrong with that.

The game seemed pretty simple. The two went around and gathered things, completing missions, and fighting bad guys. Minshun thought it was a great game for training. Something like this could be of use back home. It wasn’t as good for physical training as the field simulations, but it could definitely help with strategy.

The two played for a while, time passing quickly. He had found that time always passed quickly when he was enjoying himself.

When they finished a particularly difficult mission, Clint stretched. “Okay. I’m done. I’m getting tired.” He turned and looked at the window. “Oh, wow. It’s late.” He turned back to the boy. “I won’t tell Stark you stayed up so late if you don’t. Wouldn’t want to get in trouble, and I feel he wouldn’t be too happy about that.”

Minshun nodded hastily. He didn’t want to make Tony mad at him. And he didn’t want Tony to get mad at Clint either.

Clint stood and turned off the game and the screen. “Well, goodnight, I guess. You think you can get to your room on your own?”

Minshun stared at him blankly. He had a room? Of his own? In this place? He had never had his own room. He always slept in the same room as his mother, or he stayed in a room with all the other trainees his age. The thought of his own room was bizarre. And terrifying. This place was so large and unfamiliar. The thought of sleeping alone here was far from comforting. Not to mention he had no idea where this room might be.

Clint stared at him questioningly. “I take that as a no?” the man said.

He nodded slowly. He didn’t like admitting that. He felt like the man would view him as weak.

To his surprise, the archer didn’t seem to view him any differently. In fact, he smiled warmly at the boy. “That’s okay. It shouldn’t be too hard. Let’s see.” He thought for a moment. “I know Stark had a room made by his and Pepper’s room. That is probably where he would want you. I don’t have access to that floor, but I’m sure JARVIS can get you there.”

Minshun inwardly panicked. He had been fine with using the disembodied help earlier. That was because he didn’t have anyone else around. That was before he met Natasha or Clint. Not to mention the fact he was going to a training area. That would always be comfortable for him, no matter where he was or what situation he was in.

But he didn’t want to be sleeping alone. This childish fear swelled within him. It was the same feeling he had when he used to leave his mother. He had learned to ignore it, but something about this unfamiliar place was making it too strong to suppress.

He didn’t want to be alone. He liked this man. He didn’t want to leave him.

“Could I stay with you?” he whispered. He was sure the man would say no. Why would he want a kid with him….

“Sure. I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

Minshun looked at him in surprise. Clint beckoned him to follow, and he quickly did so.

“Don’t look so surprised,” Clint said. He looked at the boy for a second. “Can you keep a secret?”

Minshun nodded.

“I have kids of my own. They always want to stay with me when we go somewhere unfamiliar. I know from experience that soldier mentality of yours is going haywire. You’re trying to justify what you’re feeling because you think you’re supposed to be stronger than this. Don’t judge yourself though. It’s natural. It’s human. I wouldn’t want to be alone either.”

He wasn’t sure how Clint had read his mind, but he was grateful for the words of comfort. It made him feel better to know he wasn’t alone. That was so different from how it would have been handled back home. His mother would have just told him to toughen up. And he would have. This was a nice change.

They stepped out of the elevator and walked down a hallway. They entered a room. It was much larger than the rooms back on Camolia. It was hard to believe all this was for one man. There were lots of weapons and devices. There were also strange decorations. On one wall, it looked like there was a small kitchen. There was a table with some chairs. On another wall, there was a screen similar to the one in the common room but smaller. There was a couch in front of it. There was a large bed. Larger than any bed back on Camolia.

Clint slipped off his shoes. Minshun did the same. He watched Clint strip down to his pants. Minshun didn’t know the sleeping customs of these people, so he was just going to copy Clint. He stripped down to his pants as well.

Clint turned around and looked at him. His gaze shifted to his injuries and scars. A grieved expression swept over his face. He didn’t say anything about them though.

“You comfortable? Ready for bed?”

Minshun nodded.

Clint climbed into the bed. Minshun looked around. He wasn’t sure where he was supposed to sleep. Was he supposed to sleep on the floor? Or the chair? He would be fine with anything. He was used to sleeping in uncomfortable places and positions.

Clint patted beside him on the bed. “Come on, kid. I promise I won’t bite.”

Minshun hesitated, but he quickly climbed in beside the man. The mattress was like a cloud. And the covers were so warm. It was nice. He never wanted to leave. Screw his mission. He would just stay here. It would be worth any the trouble he would get in.

“JARVIS, turn the lights out.”

The room went black.

“Get some rest, kid. Goodnight.”

Minshun hummed in response.

He was exhausted. Everything he had went through and done finally caught up with him. It didn’t take long for the warmth and comfort to overwhelm him. Feeling safe and content, he slipped in the realm of unconsciousness.


	11. Chapter 11: Technological Wonderland

Minshun jolted awake as someone stormed through the door.

On instinct, he launched himself out of bed and onto the pole at the headboard. He had learned that trick on the base bunkbeds. Whenever someone stormed towards him, it usually meant he would have to defend himself against someone who didn’t like him. He taught himself to cling to the pole so no one could come down on him. He could also spin around and use inertia to throw himself on the assailant with greater force than just jumping.

As he looked over his shoulder, he saw he was not in the base and this was not someone coming to fight him.

This was Tony Stark. His supposed father.

“Barton! I swear if my son is in this room because he has an arrow embedded in him from you two messing around last night, I will….” He never finished his sentence. He stared at the boy clinging to the bedpost like a monkey. “What are you doing?”

Minshun blinked at him. He wasn’t sure what the man wanted him to say. It seemed pretty obvious what he was doing. What further information was needed?

“You know what, just get down before you break the bed. I’m not paying for another one. Everyone here breaks enough as it is.”

The boy hopped down onto the bed. He landed in a squatting position, only his toes and fingertips giving him support. He was still in a defensive mindset, prepared to flip, dodge, or fight at a moment’s notice. Logically, he knew he shouldn’t have to, but he couldn’t shake it at the moment. Not after being woken up like that.

Clint, who at his shocking wake up instinctually grabbed a knife on his nightstand, lowered the weapon. “Morning, Stark. Glad to see you’re back.”

“Oh, I bet you are, Barton. You mind telling me why I came back from a grueling meeting with that pirate boss of yours only to find my kid was not in his room and had instead stayed up way past his bedtime and had a sleepover with an ex-assassin?”

A woman’s voice sounded from the hallway. “And you didn’t invite me?” Natasha walked in, an expression of mocked offense plastered onto her face.

Tony gave her a side-eyed glare. “Oh yes,” he deadpanned. “That would have been even better. Two ex-assassins surrounding my son as he slept. I’m sure he would have come out of that completely unscathed.”

Natasha put her hand on her hip. “I couldn’t think of a safer place to be.” She ambled to the bed and plopped herself onto it. “Besides, he can already fight better than you can.” She nudged the boy playfully.

“And shoot better than you,” Clint added.

Tony looked between the two of them, mouth agape. “You know what, come on kid. Legolas and Double Agent here have had enough time to corrupt you. Let’s go. I get you today. Time to eat breakfast.”

“Oh, do we get some too?” Clint smiled from his spot in the bed.

“No. Make your own. I’m not paying for it.”

“You know you’re still technically paying for it. All the food in my fridge comes out of your wallet.”

Tony spun on his heels and walked out the door. “Come on, Pete.”

Pete? Who was…. Oh, that’s right. That was him. Minshun sprung off the bed, which was easy from his squatting position, and darted out the door. He made a conscious effort to use his whole foot now that he was with Tony again.

“So,” Tony said as the boy caught up to him in the elevator. “What do you want to eat? And you should probably know, I am not cooking, so it will be takeout.”

He wasn’t sure what takeout was, but he didn’t need it. “I don’t need anything, thank you.”

“Nonsense. Everybody knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Or so I’ve been told. Plus, Doc said you needed more food. That means you’re getting more food.”

The doors opened, and they walked out. This was not the common room Minshun was expecting. It was a different room. There was a space full of couches and a screen the same size as the common room, but there were various rooms leading off of it. One looked like a kitchen. Another was a bathroom. There were two rooms that looked like Clint’s quarters.

Tony pointed to one of the rooms. “Now that, is your room. Now you know. And that.” He pointed to the other quarters. “Is Pepper and my room.”

Tony spun around. “You never said what you wanted to eat. So? Anything in mind?”

Minshun shook his head. He really wished the man would stop asking him that. He didn’t need it. And the only time he had given an answer, the man had picked something else. It had been good, but still.

“I have already eaten a lot of your food. I don’t want to take too much.”

“Look, I feed superhumans and gods. You can’t possibly eat too much.” The man sighed. “If you won’t say anything, I’ll just choose. JARVIS?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Have Happy bring us some pancakes. And eggs. Tell him I don’t care where he gets them as long as it’s good and there’s a lot.”

There was a pause before the AI replied, “He has been informed.”

“Great. Now we wait.” Tony clapped his hands together. “Tell me, what do you do for fun?”

For fun? Did he mean what tasks and training did he enjoy most? That must be it.

“I liked the sparring I did with Natasha yesterday.”

Tony stared at him. “You did what now? No. No, I’m not doing that with you. I don’t put that much physical exertion into anything this early. I mean, something fun you do. Entertaining. Not some form of training. Like a favorite game or hobby.”

Minshun wracked his brain. His days mostly consisted of training. That’s all he ever needed. If he wasn’t training, he was usually being studied. There was nothing fun about that. The only thing he could think of was inventing things. He would do that in his spare time. He only did it to better himself and give himself a leg up in training, but that didn’t matter. He always enjoyed it.

“I make things.”

Tony’s eyes lit up. A wide smile spread across his face. “That’s right. I remember that wrist thing you had. Tell you what. After we eat, I will take you down to the lab, and I can show you some of the things I’ve made. You can tell me some things you made. Maybe we can work on something together. Sound good?”

Minshun nodded excitedly. It had been so long since he had messed around with technology. When he was promoted to captain, he had to invest all his time into that.

He felt less comfortable with this man than Natasha or Clint, but that was just because he hadn’t seen anything to connect over. This man wasn’t a warrior. He didn’t seem to enjoy training. His whole persona and mentality seemed foreign to him.

But if this man would build things with him, they could connect. Then, he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable. Not that he needed to get too comfortable here. He was sure his people would come for him soon enough. But he might as well enjoy human presence while he had it. And connecting with this man would help convert him to the Alliance’s ways.

“Well, hopefully Happy gets here soon then,” Tony said. “Don’t want to wait too long.”

Soon enough, the man brought them their food. These pancakes and eggs were delicious. So fluffy and flavorful. And the brown liquid Tony poured over it for him was so sweet. It was like nothing he had ever tasted. Minshun ate every bite, licking his plate to get every last molecule.

As soon as they were done, Tony was leading him to the elevator. The man seemed even more excited than he was.

When they stepped into the lab, Minshun was speechless. It was amazing. There were so many screens and tools and parts. There was technology he had never seen before. There were holograms of things he couldn’t even begin to guess the function of.

Tony gestured to the room with outstretched arms. “Welcome to my happy place, kid. Any tool, tech, or gadget you can imagine can be found here. Let me show you some of the things I’ve worked on.”

Minshun looked in fascination at all the things he was shown. The most impressive contraption was a suit he recognized from the Avengers game he played with Clint. He had never seen anything like it. It had so many functions. This would give anyone a serious leg up. He could see the appeal. He would have loved something like this back home. Just a more functional one for Camolian use.

He tried to commit as much as he could to memory. Maybe, he could create his own rendition of it when he got home.

There was also an impressive array of weapons. Guns. Beacons. Shocking devices. Grappling guns. Shields. There were even things to help you fly.

This was like a wonderland. It was incredible. He had to admit this would be what he would miss most. Sure, the food was great. The people seemed nice. The training area was incredible. But this was something else entirely. He wished he would have something like this back home. He hoped he would be given a better work pace when he showed all the possibilities he had learned here.

Tony led him to table and chair. This place was quite cluttered. “This is my workspace. Well, technically, the whole place is mine. But this is where I typically sit and think. That space over there.” He pointed to the cleanest portion of the whole room. “Is Banner’s place. He has his own lab he usually uses, but he comes up here sometimes. Usually when we’re working on something together.”

Tony walked over to another table near his own. “I was thinking. If you’d like, we could make this your space. You could work on your own things here.”

“Really?” 

Minshun couldn’t believe this. Soldiers were never allowed a place of their own. Now, they often worked in the same place, but it wasn’t technically theirs.

But here, he was going to get it all to himself. He had so many things of his own. It was so strange. Earth was strange. It wasn’t all a bad strange, but it was still strange.

“Absolutely,” Tony replied. His eyes glazed over as he seemed to remember something. “Believe me. I have been wanting this for a long time. I never thought I would be here. With you. Yet here we are. And we have a lot of time to make up for. I intend to do everything I can to do so.” He looked straight at the boy with a sad smile. “I’m glad you’re here, kid.”

Minshun didn’t know what to say. It seemed Tony and Pepper had thought of him a lot over the years. He felt bad that he had never thought of them. He had been content with his mother. He didn’t need a human parent. Much less two. But if he could make these people happy, why shouldn’t he do so? That’s all he wanted to do. That’s what the Alliance did. 

“I’m glad I’m here too.” That seemed like the appropriate response. He hoped Tony liked it. He didn’t want to upset the man. That would be bad.

Apparently, the response was satisfactory. The man’s smile intensified. He stared at the boy for a moment, taking him in. He shook his head to bring him back to the present.

“What kind of things do you like to make? I know about the bracelets, but what else? Anything you’ve been dying to try?”

Minshun thought for a moment. His instinct was to say something that would help him get home, but he didn’t think that would go over well. He feared he would be banned from this lab. Instead, he should start with something useful but wouldn’t seem suspicious. Later, he could try and work on other things on his own. But what should he start with?

“I’ve been designing something to enhance hearing.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “You don’t say?”

“If you give me something to draw with, I can draw it for you.”

The inventor pulled another chair to his workspace and gestured for the boy to sit. “I can do you one better than that.”

Tony showed him how to use the computer to make a 3-D image of his designs. It wasn’t that hard once he knew what to do. Tony seemed impressed by his idea. They worked together for the rest of the day.

Some food was brought to them as they worked. Minshun couldn’t believe how much food he had eaten over the past few days. Not that he was complaining. Now that he was starting to see that he wouldn’t get in trouble – in fact, quite the opposite – he ate to his heart’s content.

They made a lot of progress. Minshun had already made a pretty decent design. He had thought about it a lot. While Camolians’ eyesight was horrible, their hearing was far more advanced than a human’s. He knew if he could get his hearing stronger, it would help him a lot.

Tony helped him complete a design. He even started making it with him. It was nice having someone else help. He had never had that. He always had to do it on his own.

Tony checked the time. It was hard to tell how much time had passed in the lab. There were no windows for reference.

The man whistled. “Wow. Time flies when you’re having fun, huh.” He stood up. “Come on. We should get you to bed. I know for a fact Barton kept you up way too late.”

Minshun wouldn’t deny it. He was getting tired. He stood and followed the man back to their floor. Tony walked him to his room. It was large. Much plainer than the rest of the rooms he had seen.

“I thought I would let you put stuff you liked in it. I know you’re not a baby anymore, so your old stuff wouldn’t do. Just, uh, make yourself comfortable. Call if you need anything. Goodnight. Sweet dreams.” Tony closed the door behind him.

Minshun stood alone. He stripped as he had done the night before. He looked for a light switch but couldn’t find it. He remembered Clint asked JARVIS to do that, so he did the same. The room turned dark. He curled into the bed. 

It felt different than last night. Not physically. The bed was the same. It was the atmosphere that was different.

It was lonelier. Scarier. He missed the presence of people around him, even though he knew they were nearby.

He curled into a ball. He missed his home. He had forgotten how much he missed it due to all the fun he had had. He hadn’t had time to just sit and let everything sink in. But now, alone and in the dark, it hit him like a wave. He wanted his mother. He wanted his friends. He wanted to be back with the Alliance.

He hoped they wouldn’t take too long to come looking for him.


	12. Chapter 12: On Your Left

Minshun didn’t sleep a wink that night.

His mind was racing. It was the first time he had sat and let everything sink in. As light started to seep through his window, he was on the brink of insanity. He needed a way out. But how could he find it?

Back home, he would do training at a time like this. He didn’t feel like dealing with Natasha or Clint or Tony at the moment. He wanted to be alone. That meant he couldn’t go to the training area and risk meeting up with them. What else could he do?

He briefly considered working on the hearing device more. He dismissed the notion. He didn’t feel like working on it alone. He had enjoyed having a partner. Besides, that involved thinking. He was trying to stop thinking.

“JARVIS?” he said quietly. He still thought it was odd to talk to someone who wasn’t even there, but he wanted to get some answers.

“Yes?” the voice replied.

“Is- is there any place I can run? Besides the training area?”

“There are many paths outside of the tower that are great for running.”

Minshun perked up. “And am I allowed to go on any of these?”

“I don’t see why not. I was only instructed to keep you here until Mr. Stark returned. He is here now. Therefore, I don’t see no reason why you shouldn’t be allowed to leave.”

Minshun flipped out of bed and threw his shirt and shoes on. Quietly, he crept out of the room and into the elevator.

Soon, he found himself on the busy streets of New York. There was so much going on around him. It was overwhelming. There were so many humans, doing their own thing. Very unsettling.

He looked around. He wasn’t sure what way to go. He decided to head right. Right seemed right.

He continued for some time. It felt great to run. It was invigorating. Back home, he always enjoyed early morning runs. It just seemed the perfect way to start out the day.

In the distance, he spotted a patch of greenery. That was a stark contrast to the man-made buildings and vehicles that surrounded him. As he got closer, he realized the area was beautiful strip of nature. There were paths throughout it. He quickly moved onto this terrain and started running along it.

It was refreshing to be out in the open air. He didn’t realize how stuffy he had felt being cooped up until now. But the sun, the trees, and the slight breeze rejuvenated him. Not to mention all the energy he had from so much food. 

He ran faster.

He heard some form of animal happily talking to its friends. There were rarely any animals back home. He had studied all of them in the database and read all the books about them. But that couldn’t compare to seeing them hop and scamper and fly in reality. And the sounds they made were nothing like he had imagined.

He ran all the paths multiple times. He had no idea how long he was out there. He didn’t care. He felt amazing as he weaved in and out of passerbys. He was much faster than everyone else he encountered. He ended up lapping a good number of joggers. How slow were humans?

Mishun heard footsteps behind him. They were… getting closer? That was different. No one else had been anywhere near his speed, much less surpassing him. He glanced over his shoulder to see a man gaining on him.

“On your left,” the man called.

Flashbacks flooded Minshun’s mind. He recalled all the times he had been ditched in training as a kid. All the times he had been trampled. All the times he had been made to do so many more laps because his legs were shorter than everyone else’s, and he couldn’t keep up. Thankfully, he had found a form that allowed him to go faster, and he had gotten faster when the Camolians started fixing him. But that didn’t prevent him from hating those three dreaded words. Those words that made him feel like a failure. Those words that reminded him of pain.

Instinct overtook him, and he ran faster.

He glanced over his shoulder again. The man was still gaining on him, but it was slower now.

Oh, it was on.

The two kept running faster and faster. Every time Minshun felt like giving up, he would turn and see that man. He refused to give up. Honestly, it felt good to have some fair competition. It felt good to push himself to the limits once again. Once he finished, he would ask this man if they could run together some other time. He had a feeling he would need it again.

Eventually, they were side by side. People stepped out of the way as they flew down the path, completing a whole lap of the nature area. Both were panting heavily, dripping in sweat. Neither would give up.

Minshun wasn’t sure how much more he had in him. The thought of losing made him want to kick himself, but it seemed like it might become reality. There was no way he could make it another lap. But if he were to lose, he would lose knowing he gave it everything he had.

The other man began to speak, using just a few words at a time between his gasps for air.

“How about. We both. Stop. At. The same. Time. Then. Neither. Of us. Loses.”

Oh thank goodness. Maybe he wouldn’t lose after all.

“On three?” he panted out.

“One.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

Both of them collapsed to the ground. They lay on their backs in the middle of the path, not caring how the blocked everyone else’s way. They gasped for air, unable to do anything else.

Once they had somewhat caught their breath, they stood and walked over to the edge of the path where they sat down once more.

The man positioned himself so he was facing the boy. “That was impressive. Seriously impressive. You training for something?”

Minshun grinned. For some reason, this man’s approval meant something to him. Maybe it was because he looked like what Minshun wanted to be. The man was fast. Not to mentions tall and insanely large. He presented himself like a soldier. A leader. Minshun hoped he could look like that one day.

“I guess you could say that.”

The man chuckled. “Well, you’re gonna win.”

“Thanks.”

The man nodded and held out his hand. “Rogers. Steve Rogers.”

Minshun nodded back, although he still didn’t know what he was supposed to do with the hand. He wished someone would explain it to him. “Minshun.”

“I take it you’re not from around here.”

“Not even close.”

“What brings you here, then?”

“Family, I guess.”

Steve raised an eyebrow at the answer. “You guess?”

Minshun debated on whether or not he should say more. He decided it couldn’t hurt. This man knew nothing about him and probably would never find out anything he didn’t tell him. It might be nice for him to have someone see him as something other than the long-lost son of Tony Stark. To have someone to talk to as his true self. Like he would with Hisha back home. Maybe he could talk and just not provide specifics.

“I don’t know. I didn’t really have a choice. I am trying to tell myself there is more to it than that. That I am here for a purpose. So I can help people towards a better future.”

The man smiled at him. “That’s a great cause. I can support that.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. In fact, if you ever need a hand, I’d be happy to help.” He chuckled as if remembering an inside joke. “Helping people is sorta my thing.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” 

It would definitely be nice to have someone backing him up. Helping him. Clint hadn’t seemed opposed to the Alliance, but the others hadn’t seemed very receptive. So far, this stranger seemed the best bet for actually helping him make a good impact for the Alliance here on earth.

Steve squinted at the sun overhead. He looked back at the boy. “You know what, that was an intense run we had. We deserve some lunch. I know a really good sandwich place close by. Why don’t we go together? We can talk some more. You can tell me where you learned to run like that.”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to get in your way.”

“Nonsense,” the man insisted. “I could use the company. It’ll be on me. Although, I completely understand if you have somewhere else to be.”

He probably should get back. People would have noticed he wasn’t there by now. Based on what he had seen from Tony after spending the night with Clint, the man would not be happy. And it would not be pleasant.

“Why not.”

Steve smiled. “Great.” He rose to his feet. “Follow me.”

Their destination wasn’t far away. Steve must have come there a lot after his runs, because the owner seemed to recognize him. In fact, many people seemed to recognize him. He must have a lot of influence. He could really be useful.

Steve ordered for the both of them, and they found a secluded place to eat. They talked for a while over all sorts of things. Minshun really liked this guy. He reminded him of Chacksli. He missed Chacksli. He was glad he was with Steve though.

It was nice to talk to someone in this way. He liked this new type of friendship. At least, that’s what he assumed it was. He was able to talk freely, not afraid of others coming after him for saying something that presented him as weak. He could talk about his feeling and not feel judged.

Minshun had really changed over the past few days. He had never been so open to his feelings. He had always been taught to block them. And he still did. But there was something in the air that made him feel like everyone talked about such things with ease. It allowed him to do the same.

Once they were done with their meal, they both stood up to leave.

“Well, it’s been a pleasure getting to know you, Minshun,” Steve said.

“You too.”

“Hopefully we will meet again soon. Maybe have a rematch.”

“Oh, you are on.”

They started to go their separate ways. 

Except, they weren’t separate. What a coincidence. They ended up walking together for quite a while.

Minshun finally saw the place where he had exited the Avenger’s building. Thankfully, it wasn’t hard to find. He remembered how much higher the tower was compared to all the other buildings, so he just kept looking up.

He turned to his friend. “This is my stop.”

Steve squinted at him questioningly. “Mine too,” he said slowly.

Wow. That really was a coincidence. Minshun knew he had seen a lot of people on the bottom level of the building as he left, but what were the odds this man would be part of the group working there.

Steve looked him up and down. “What did you say brought you here again?”

“My parents discovered who I was after being away for a long time.”

Steve paused. “Tony Stark wouldn’t happen to be one of them, would he?”

Minshun’s heart sank. Fantastic. He had been so glad for someone to finally see him without that in mind. That was out the window now. Oh well. It had been too good to last. 

He nodded to answer the question.

Steve took in a deep breath, computing the information. “That would explain a lot of things, actually. And why Stark was so mad to be dragged away from home by Fury. But why did you say your name was…. Never mind.” His eyes widened as something clicked in his mind. “Wait. Does Stark know where you are?”

Minshun shook his head.

Steve closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “That man is gonna kill me.” He walked towards the door. “Come on. Let’s get you back. That way your father can stop his worrying.”


	13. Chapter 13: Test Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The running pace in this is based off of google. The thing I read said Captain America ran between 60 and 80 miles per hour, and Spiderman is faster. If that's wrong, my apologizes, but oh well. I tried, and I think it works well.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy another chapter!

Minshun grimaced. He could hear Tony yelling before the elevator doors even opened.

“What do you mean you don’t know where he is!”

JARVIS’s voice calmly responded. “Peter left the building early this morning for a run. He did not inform me of his route.”

“Of course he didn’t! He didn’t know where he was going! We’re in New York! Do you know how big New York is?”

“The state of New York covers over thirty-four thousand square miles and has a population of….”

“I don’t care!”

“Then why did you ask?”

“Oh ha ha. Just find my kid! I don’t care how you do it! Use satellites! Or drones! Or all my spare suits! Call SHIELD! I don’t care! Just find him!”

The elevator doors finally opened, and Steve stepped out. “Found him,” he stated nonchalantly.

Tony spun around. If looks could kill, his would have. He sighed as he saw who had spoken. “Why did I not suspect you would be involved in this running disappearance.”

Steve held his hands up in defense. “Hey. It’s not my fault. Until like five minutes ago, I had no idea he was associated with you in any way.”

“Yah ha. Sure. Now, where is he?”

Minshun slowly stepped out of the elevator. He refused to look at either man.

Whenever someone got this mad back home, he usually ended up pretty sore. He didn’t think Steve would do anything to him, but Tony seemed mad enough to do something crazy.

When Tony saw his son, he collapsed on the couch behind him in relief. “Oh, thank goodness you’re okay.” He threw his head back. “Are you trying to kill me, child?”

“If I wanted you dead, you would be dead.”

The glare Tony sent his way was so intense that Minshun felt slightly threatened. Tony stood up and walked over to the boy. 

“Never do that again. You hear me? Always tell someone exactly where you are going and how long you will be gone. And if the plan changes, let someone know that too. You understand?”

Minshun felt insulted. Tony was acting like he was incapable of defending himself. He could be just fine on his own. He had been fine without the man for all these years. He didn’t see why it was such a big deal that he was gone for the morning. He wasn’t going to say that though. He wasn’t going to risk making him madder. 

“Yes, sir.”

Tony looked in his eyes. He must have seen he didn’t mean it. He shook his head. “You don’t get it. You don’t get how horrible it was when you went missing the first time. How scared I was. For years, I would feel like I couldn’t breathe at times when I thought of you being out there somewhere and we couldn’t help you.”

He turned and walked away as he continued. More and more desperation seeped through his voice. “And that was before all this Avengers thing. Now, it’s even worse. There are so many people who would love to get their hands on you if they found out who you are. And if I don’t know where you are, I won’t know how to find you. Do you see? Do you see how important this is? It’s not a matter of ability to defend yourself. There are forces out there that none of us can handle on our own. And I can’t bear to lose you to them. Do you understand now?”

He did. He understood perfectly. He saw the desperation. He recognized it from his mother. He knew how much it hurt her when he was gone for a little too long. Right now, he probably felt the same way Tony was feeling. And it could all be fixed if he could just tell her where he was.

But he couldn’t tell her. He couldn’t help her feel better. But he could help Tony.

“I do. I’ll tell you from now on.”

Tony nodded his head. He seemed to be regaining his composure. “Okay. Okay, good. So. I’m guessing you two ate lunch out?”

Steve nodded. “Yeah. I fed him.”

“Good. Cause if he came back starving, I was gonna blame you.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

All three stood in silence, not sure what to say next. 

Steve was the first to break it. He cleared his throat. “You know, he’s a really good runner. Like, superhuman levels.”

“You don’t say?” Tony cocked an eyebrow.

“Oh yeah. Truly impressive stuff.”

Tony raised his head high. “Of course he is. He’s mine.” He turned to the boy. “How fast are you exactly?”

Minshun shrugged. “As fast as I can be.”

“Oh no. That won’t do,” Tony said. “Not in a house of science. We are gonna test it.”

Minshun tensed at the word test. He didn’t want to be tested on. But he remembered how different his examination had been from those on Camolia. Surely, this test wouldn’t be like those back home either.

Minshun soon found himself in the training area. He was guided to the mini track with the buttons on the front.

The elevator door opened again. “Okay, Tony, what did you want me here for?” Bruce Banner stepped into sight. As soon as he saw the boy preparing to run, he sighed. “You want me to be a doctor again, don’t you?”

“Yup.”

Mumbling to himself, Bruce walked over to a screen and started pressing buttons. “Ready when you are.”

Tony looked up at the boy. “This is going to show us how fast you run. You run at the speed the treadmill goes. Now, this program is set for Capsicle here, so we don’t expect you to be able to finish it. Whenever you can’t go anymore, just step onto the side. Got it?”

Minshun nodded.

Tony and Steve moved beside Bruce. Bruce gave a thumbs up, and the ground beneath the boy’s feet began to move.

It was a strange sensation, stepping forward without going anywhere. Minshun couldn’t help but admire the ingenuity. It was an efficient way to train for a faster pace. It required less space. And it could show exactly how much progress someone was making over their speed.

Minshun transitioned from a walk to a light jog. This treadmill continued to speed up. Soon he was running. Then running harder. And harder. And faster. And faster. His legs were extending farther apart as he increased his speed. His legs felt heavy from the hard running he had done earlier that day, but he pushed through it.

He knew he could stop. Tony had said so. But that same instinct rose in him, and he would not tolerate failure from himself. He would surpass their expectations. If he had been able to keep up with Steve for so long, surely he could handle this machine designed for the man.

As time went on, it was getting harder to run. Minshun wasn’t sure how much faster he could go without burning out.

Just as he thought he might have to step off after all, the speed steadied. He ran at a consistent pace for about a minute before the machine beeped and slowed down. He slowed his pace to a slower run. A jog. A walk. And then he stopped.

Breathing heavily, he plopped down on the ground. He turned his head to look at the men. He figured their faces would tell him if his performance was satisfactory.

Bruce was scratching his head as he examined the contents of the screen. Tony was looking between the screen and the boy, mouth hanging open. Steve was just staring into space deep in thought.

Was that a good thing?

When no one said anything, he decided to ask. “Did I do well?”

“Well?” Tony cried, eyes practically popping out of his head. “Well? You just held a steady pace of seventy miles per hour!”

Minshun still couldn’t tell from their reactions if this was a good speed or not. He kept looking between the three men, hoping they would explain it.

Thankfully, Steve walked over to him and offered a hand up. Minshun accepted it as the man spoke. “The fastest human athlete runs at about twenty-eight miles per hour. I typically run sixty to sixty-five. So, yes. You did well.”

“This doesn’t make any sense!” Tony cried from behind the screen. “Are you even human?”

Minshun ignored him. “How come you can run so much faster than most humans?” he asked Steve.

“I’m.” He paused. “Enhanced. It’s a long story.”

“He’s like a human, 2.0 edition,” Bruce called as he still fiddled with stuff on the screen.

Tony pointed at the screen. “Even his heart rate isn’t right! Is he dying? This is not okay!”

“The question is, how are you able to run so fast?” Steve asked.

Minshun shrugged. “I couldn’t always. I just trained really hard. I had to. The Alliance helped too. As they studied more, they gave me things that made me feel better. They said I was sick and that’s why I couldn’t keep up. They fixed me. After that, it was easy for me to get better.”

“What kind of things?” Bruce called.

“I’m not sure. There were a lot of shots. Some medicines. Lots of examinations. I didn’t ask. I thought everyone got medical attention like that.”

The three men shared a serious look between each other.

Minshun wasn’t sure what the big deal was. He thought it was great. The Alliance had truly blessed him. They knew what they had done. They could do it again for others. It wasn’t like these people had to figure it out on their own. The Alliance’s goal was to share the truth and better life for everyone. They would surely be willing to spread their knowledge on how to better humans once earth had accepted their ways.

Minshun yawned.

He was exhausted. Between all his physical exertion and his lack of sleep the night before, he needed rest.

He looked to the group of men. They were all talking in hushed voices. He could have easily made out what they were saying if he wanted, but he had no desire. He knew they were talking about him.

He thought of heading back to his room to sleep but dismissed the thought quickly. He knew he would just have the same problem he had last night. No. He wanted to stay here, in the company of these people. He didn’t want to be alone.

He looked around. There were many metal beams supporting the tall ceiling. There were smaller, horizontal beams between those.

Minshun remembered all the times he had sat in the rafters back at the base. He, Hisha, and Chacksli had fun pretending they were on a top-secret mission, spying on the enemy down below. The memory brought a smile to his face.

He walked over to the closest beam and examined it. There were small bolts he could use to climb with. Swiftly, he scaled the beam. Once up, he positioned himself on the horizontal beam and curled up on his side.

He looked down at the talking men. They hadn’t noticed his ascent. He was sure they would figure it out soon enough.

He closed his eyes and let the sweet memories of childish play lead him into a dream-filled slumber.


	14. Chapter 14: Plans to Adjust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's where things start to get slightly more complicated for our boy. Clearly, the Avengers have his best interests at heart. He just can't see it. And he both gives and loses trust very quickly.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Minshun stretched. He felt much better. He shifted so he was squatting on his toes, leaning over the edge of the beam to see the three men below him still talking.

“My fifteen-year-old kid is a skilled soldier, is brainwashed, can compete with the Avengers, is superhuman, and is now sleeping like a monkey. What did they do to him?”

Bruce answered. “I don’t know. But we’ll figure it out. We’ll help him.”

“Will we? Will we actually? Cause from where I’m standing, I don’t see how.”

“If anyone can figure out how to take a superhuman and help him handle his abilities, it’s us. He’ll be fine. It might take a while, but we’ll all figure it out.”

“Yeah, Stark.” Steve was talking now. ”You should have seen him when we were out earlier. He said he thinks he’s here to help people. To make things better. This could work out for the best.”

“No. My son is not joining the Avengers right now. Do you know how dangerous it is?”

“Yes, actually, we do.”

“Well then you see why he can’t. Maybe when he’s fifty, but not before.”

“You can’t protect him forever. He has already been exposed to a lot. More than anyone his age should have been. He isn’t a little kid. You can’t keep him cooped up here forever.”

“Doesn’t mean he should be out doing the most dangerous job on the planet. And you better not tell SHIELD about him. Goodness knows what they would do when they find out about his abilities.”

“They’ll find out sooner or later on their own.”

“I for one would rather it be later.”

“Whatever you want. But I’m not lying if I’m asked.”

“Wouldn’t expect anything else.”

“What do we do for now?” Bruce questioned.

Steve answered. “I know from personal experience how unnerving it is to find yourself in a completely different world. I searched for any form of normality. He’s doing the same thing. That’s why he went out running. And it’s why he is still rejecting the name Peter. As you said, he has been brainwashed and altered. Now that he knows how different he is, he will want to leave even more. We need to show him he belongs. If we don’t, he will not accept his place here. We can’t help him if he refuses to think of himself as belonging here.”

The man wasn’t wrong. He was resisting. Because he knew he wouldn’t belong. But Minshun knew nothing they could do would change that. He would be found by his people.

They kept talking like he was damaged. He wasn’t. He was in perfect condition. Apparently better condition than he had thought. He still didn’t see the problem. He was proud that the Alliance had blessed him.

And he wished they would stop talking about him being ‘brainwashed’. That was the talk of unbelievers. He had been warned against this. He was told people would try to convince him the Alliance was bad. It was wrong. He couldn’t listen. That just meant whoever was saying it hadn’t seen the truth. They would either be converted or gotten rid of.

He hoped these people would see the truth. They could be very useful. And it would be nice to have people like him. Well, more like him. He didn’t want them to be gotten rid of. Those people were never seen again. He wondered where they went.

“How do we do that?” Tony asked.

“Like I said. Make him feel comfortable. Give him even a small bit of normality.”

“But what is his norm?” Bruce inquired.

“I’m not sure I want to find out,” Tony said.

“I said bits of normality. Not complete,” Steve replied. “From what I can see, he is used to lots of physical activity and training. We should encourage that. Have either of you noticed any other tendencies he shows?”

“He’s clearly used to walking and sitting differently,” Bruce answered.

“And he doesn’t seem to like sleeping in his own room,” Tony remarked. “First with Barton, now in the rafters.”

“That makes sense if he was raised in a military setting,” Steve commented.

“He also seemed to be really into building things like me. We worked on some hearing-enhancing device. That was the most relaxed I’ve seen him.”

“That’s good. Encourage that. Let him build what he wants. Let him see he has his own space. That could really help him see he has a place here.”

“Now that I can do.”

“Apart from that, I suggest we just get to know him better. Don’t bring up anything about this Alliance he talks about for the time being. I don’t think that would be wise. But don’t shut him off if he brings it up. Since that is such a vital part of his life, it will make him feel like we are rejecting him as well. And keep calling him Peter. We will be able to tell when he is fully accepting his life here when he accepts his human name.”

“That’s a good point. And we do need to make him feel human,” Bruce added. 

“Exactly. We need him to see the human side of him isn’t bad. I can almost guarantee he was taught the opposite growing up. We need to break that out of him. But slowly.”

Minshun didn’t like all he was hearing. They were going to try and manipulate him. Make him betray the Alliance. Make him betray his people. He would never do that.

But he couldn’t show them he was outright resisting them either. That would make them try harder. Maybe resort to other, more intense means. He couldn’t allow that. He would have to walk a fine line. Pretending to accept their ways while not letting any of it become reality. This was going to be difficult. But it had to be done. And the Alliance would be proud of him when he returned home.

He leapt off the beam. As he reached the ground, he rolled on his shoulder, coming to a halt on one knee. He stood and walked towards the talking trio.

Bruce was the first to speak. “Sleep well?”

Minshun nodded.

“You sleep up high a lot?”

“Not really. I am used to being far above the ground though.”

Bruce gave him a slight smile. “That can always come in handy. Glad you’re not scared of heights.”

They fell into silence.

Tony cleared his throat. “I was going to head to the lab. You want to come?”

Minshun nodded.

They departed from Steve and Bruce and entered the elevator. Arriving at the lab, Minshun immediately noticed the place Tony had said would be his workspace had been cleared. He walked over to it. The pieces for his hearing device were there. He traced his fingers over them.

“I, uh. I had it cleared for you. Just like I said he would. I put your own computer in. Transferred all the things we worked on to it. It’s set up the same as mine, so you can work on your own any time you want. You can do whatever you want with it. Come here whenever.”

Minshun stopped.

It had begun. The man was already putting into action the plan he, Steve, and Bruce had concocted in the training area. That was quick.

He could no longer trust anything they said as genuine. It was just a manipulation. A way to twist his mind. The thought made him sick to his stomach. He had enjoyed getting to know them. Learning to open up. He had done so thinking they would be on the same team.

But that was not the case. They were the enemy. His childish play had become reality. He was the undercover agent on a top-secret mission, observing the enemy and gathering info. Waiting to be extracted and put the information to good use.

It hurt. He felt betrayed. He should have listened to his mother and the Alliance. Feelings were pointless. They held you back. They made you vulnerable. He never should have let himself feel for these people. He knew that now. He would just have to tune them out again.

He couldn’t wait to get home. To the people who actually cared about him. To the people who bettered him. To those who knew the truth.

But he wasn’t there yet. For now, he had to hold out and wait for them to rescue of him.

Therefore, he must satisfy these people so they would stop trying to corrupt him.

“Thank you,” he said. “I will.”

“Great.” Tony smiled at him. He quickly turned and walked to his own space. “I’ll be over here working on some upgrades for my suit if you need me. Don’t hesitate to call.”

“I won’t.”

Minshun set to work. There couldn’t be any harm in finishing the device. It would help him, and it would make Tony think he was accepting his place here. Win-win scenario.

He looked through the computer, learning what everything did. Tony had shown him enough the day before for him to grasp most of it. But he still liked figuring the rest out. That way, it would be easier for him to find and work later.

He found a program that showed him where any material he could possibly need would be found. That would definitely come in handy.

He looked over his designs, figuring out what he would need next. He searched for the necessary metals, tools, and wires. There were so many types of each that it took some time to find the right materials and sizes. But he did eventually. He made a mental note of their positions and started his search around the room.

He could feel Tony’s eyes on him the whole time. The man didn’t say anything though. Just watched. Whenever he would look the inventor’s way, the man would hastily return to his work, pretending he hadn’t been watching. This got old quick. But Minshun didn’t see how anything could be done to stop it. Besides direct confrontation, of course. But that seemed unnecessary since no harm was technically being done. He would just have to endure it.

He went back to his spot with all the things he needed. Immediately, he was able to zone everything out and focus on his work. He was used to that. There were always so many people around when he would use the tech room at the base.

He made quick progress. At least he thought it was quick. He still couldn’t tell without any windows. He noticed what looked like the time in the corner of his computer, but it was different than the clocks on Camolia.

He decided to ask. It seemed like that was pretty important information.

“Tony?”

The man was immediately up and walking to his side. “Yeah, Pete?”

“What time is?”

“9:30. See it says it right there for you.” He pointed to the numbers in the corner of the screen.

“Yeah. I see that. But what time is that?”

Tony furrowed his brow as he realized the dilemma. “Oh. I didn’t think of that. Um.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “When does the day start where for you?”

“Sunrise.”

“Sunrise. Okay. Well, here, we start the day before that. We call it midnight. The sun rises, I don’t know. Probably six hours after that. I’m rarely up that early. Half-way through the day is noon. That’s twelve o’clock. Then the clock resets and goes through numbers one through twelve again until midnight comes again and starts a new day.”

“How do you know if it is the number before or after the reset?”

“See where it says PM?” He pointed to the screen. “That means it’s afternoon. If it says AM, it’s the morning. Make sense?”

Minshun nodded. “Thanks.”

As Tony went back to his own workplace, Minshun couldn’t help but think how much simpler everything was back home.

Earth was weird. He couldn’t wait to leave.


	15. Chapter 15: Burning Ears and Hopeful Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like this chapter. We finally see a first step towards becoming Spiderman. Super exciting.
> 
> Also, Peter/Minshun's response to what happens later is not supposed to be rational. He is in shock from over-stimulation. Just thought I would let you guys know ahead of time to make that bit clearer.
> 
> Anyway, hope you like reading as much as I liked writing!

Minshun fitted the earpieces into his ears and switched it on.

He had finally perfected them. At least, he hoped he did. This was the third time he had made it, but he had found problems with the previous attempts.

He walked towards the elevator to go down to the training arena. He wanted to see how it would affect his balance and motor functions. He knew hearing was vital for all of those things, so he wanted to try it out before using it in more important situations.

As he reached the door, he heard voices. Was… was he hearing talking all the way from the common room a few floors down? He was. It was very choppy, but it was definitely there. Wow. It was working well. He tilted his head to listen better.

He heard what sounded like Tony speaking. He wasn’t quite sure as he was still so far away.

“All the time… lab… good for him…. Seems….”

He couldn’t make out much of the next voice. “…Good…. Adjusting….”

A woman’s voice now. “Time alone good…. Feeling… belongs…. Trust….”

Minshun fiddled with his earpieces. He hoped it would clear the sound up. Which it did.

“That’s good,” Tony said. “And Pepper’s on her way back. He seemed to be more open to her from the start. Hopefully, she can help with that motherly bond she has going for her.”

“He definitely seems to be relaxing around everyone more,” Clint said. “I’m taking that as a good sign. It means he’s breaking through a few of those barriers he was taught.”

Minshun snorted in amusement. If only they knew. Apparently, he was a good actor. He did have years of practicing the opposite before he learned to block emotion. Now, he just had to fake having them instead. Which wasn’t nearly as hard. He just did what seemed to please them, and they didn’t suspect a thing.

“I’m most nervous about the brainwashing,” Steve said. “He originally talked about that Alliance a lot, but he rarely does now.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Tony asked.

“Not necessarily,” Clint replied. “He could just be suppressing it. He is smart. He can probably tell we weren’t all for it, even if we didn’t say anything against it. I know I didn’t know what it was about at first, but now I don’t like it at all. The last time he brought it up, he seemed to be gaging my reaction.”

“I think he’s done that with all of us,” Steve added. “He is smart. We should definitely keep his sudden avoidance of the topic in mind. It was a huge part of his life for so long. It’s not natural for him to drop it entirely.”

He hadn’t thought of that. He had seen how everyone was against the Alliance – to his dismay – and had dropped the topic. He thought that would please them. He would have to bring it up again to keep them from questioning him. He couldn’t have that. Then, they would see he still strongly supporting the Alliance and would try and change his mind. That was unacceptable.

“We should all prepare to support him when he sees the truth,” Natasha said. “From what I’ve heard, this Alliance has done a lot of questionable if not outright immoral stuff. When he sees that, he’s going to feel guilty. He always talks about helping people. When he sees how much harm has been done, there’s no telling how he’ll react.”

He didn’t like that. They were the ones that had to see the truth. If anyone was going to cause harm, it was them. They were the ones who would prevent the peace and better life the Alliance offered.

He had heard enough. He turned the earpiece back to the original setting so he could no longer hear them clearly.

He stepped into the elevator. “JARVIS. Training area.” He felt himself descending.

He had grown more comfortable talking to JARVIS. He had been allowed to walk around freely. Tony had installed some program that meant he would know whenever his son went anywhere. Minshun wasn’t supposed to know, but he had overheard the man telling Steve. He overheard a lot. Everyone must be really bad at hiding things. Or he was just too nosey. Probably both.

He had enjoyed the freedom that came with this. He was able to do things on his own. He enjoyed that. It meant he didn’t have to act all the time. Only when the others were around. It kept him from risking too much attachment as well.

Minshun found a bow and slung some arrows over his shoulder. He had been practicing. He found it soothing. It was great for his hand-eye coordination and his aim. It was an all-around useful skill.

Recently, he had started moving around as he shot. JARVIS informed him of a setting where the targets would move. He liked the challenge. It was more realistic.

He notched an arrow onto the bow. “Okay, JARVIS. Start moving the targets.”

Immediately, they started rising, lowering, and rotating. Minshun started aiming at the various targets, moving around as necessary. He could hear them all moving. He could hear the thwip of the string as it released the arrow. He could hear the arrow piercing the air and penetrating the target.

It was strange hearing this so clearly. It was overwhelming. He started missing his targets. He couldn’t focus. Everything was so loud. He kept shooting though. He wanted to push through it. Learn how to work with this enhancement. He thought briefly about turning it down while he adjusted, but he decided against it. It would be pointless because then it would just be his normal hearing.

He needed this device. It was so useful. Not only could he gather information easier, but he was more aware of his surroundings. It gave him one more leg up. When he got home, he fully intended to be the absolute best he could be.

He ran out of arrows. He grabbed another bundle and started again. And again. Gradually, he hit more and more targets. He was still in a sensory overload, but he was adjusting. Learning what to zone out and what to tune in on.

Once he was satisfied with his performance, he gathered the arrows and put the weapons in their place. He walked over to the treadmill and switched it on. 

He wanted to see how it would affect his running. He remembered the time he had an ear infection long ago. He couldn’t hear a thing out of his left ear. It had been horrible. He could barely walk in a straight line. He hoped that wouldn’t happen with this new equipment. Since it helped his hearing instead of hindering it, he hoped his balance would increase.

It was not an enjoyable run, although he didn’t think it was because of his balance.

All the loud sounds were giving him a headache. It had started when he was shooting, but it was only growing worse. His footsteps sounded like thunder. The sounds of the small machine resembled that of a ship engine room. It was deafening. His increased heartrate was intensifying the entire thing. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t function.

He stepped off of the treadmill. Well, more collapsed. He grasped his head.

Now he was hearing even more. It seemed his brain was over-adjusting. Through the floor, he could hear electricity flowing through the currents. He could hear all the people on the bottom floor’s incessant chattering. He could hear the sounds of life all around the building. He heard machines flying overhead. He could hear the wind currents. He could hear the very building itself creaking and groaning.

He couldn’t stand it. He needed to escape it.

He crawled on all fours in a futile attempt to get away. Not that that would help since it was all in his head. But he couldn’t think clearly enough to decern that in his current state.

He ended up at the base of a beam. Maybe he could climb above the noise. That was probably the stupidest thing he ever thought, but it seemed rational at the time. He reached above him and slowly started climbing. It was one of the hardest climbs of his life. As his mind was shutting down from the shock, his body was doing the same. He managed to reach the horizontal beam and clambered onto it. It hadn’t helped. He was getting worse. His head was spinning. He felt himself fading. 

He regained enough awareness to realize he needed to secure himself before he blacked out. He curled up on his side, arms wrapped around his head, just before the world went black.

Minshun’s eyes popped open.

His ears were ringing. He turned himself onto his back and reached for them. His fingers brushed the earpieces.

Those horrid machines. He hated them. He angrily yanked them out of his ears and threw them to the ground. He didn’t care if they broke. He would have to fix them anyway. He needed to find a way to tone it down or something. He wasn’t going through that again if he could help it.

He lay there for some time, regaining his composure. Or trying to. It was hard when he felt like he was losing his mind.

He found himself longing for companionship. He wished Hisha or his mother was here to help him. They would tell him to toughen up, but she would sit with him anyway. That was all he ever needed. But they were so far away. They couldn’t give him that piece of mind. He was alone. He didn’t dare go to anyone here. Goodness knows that would end badly. They would just turn it against him, using it as a way to manipulate his vulnerable state of mind.

He closed his eyes and wished for the Great Mediator to give him something – anything – to make him feel less alone. He would always provide. So why not now?

When he opened his eyes, he noticed something strange above him. Something he had never seen before. He climbed up to get a better look.

There was an intricate pattern of some kind of thread stretched between two parts of beam. It looked like a net. He leaned closer. He lifted his finger and gently tapped it. The netting broke where he touched it, sending a ripple across the rest of it. As he watched, a small, eight-legged creature crawled across the net towards the hole.

“JARVIS, what is this?”

“I believe that is a spider.”

“Can you tell me more about spiders? And their netting?” He watched the creature intently as he listened.

“I can try, but you might not understand due to your seeming lack of biological knowledge.”

“That’s okay,” Minshun assured. He waited for the explanation.

“Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all orders of organisms. Many spiders create webs, generally meant to catch prey.”

He didn’t understand half the things the AI just said, but this webbing fascinated him. “Tell me more about the webbing.”

“Webs are created by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets. The stickiness of spiders' webs is courtesy of droplets of glue suspended on the silk threads. This glue is multifunctional – that is, its behavior depends on how quickly something touching it attempts to withdraw. At high velocities, they function as an elastic solid, resembling rubber; at lower velocities, they simply act as a sticky glue. This allows them to retain a grip on attached food particles. The web is electrically conductive which causes the silk threads to spring out to trap their quarry, as flying insects tend to gain a static charge.”

“Is it strong?” 

“The calculated grip of the jumping spider’s silk is that it could hold one hundred and seventy times the spider's own body weight before coming unstuck.”

Minshun watched as the spider repaired its web. It was so carefree. He wished his only care was fixing his web and catching food.

He began to think.

“Is there a human version of spider webbing?”

“Presently, there is no such webbing that can support a human.”

Key word: Presently. That meant there was a possibility it could be done. He could do it. The benefit of having something like that would be incredible. Someone could sit anywhere. Catch anything. Stick things together. And that wasn’t even considering the benefits for the battlefield. He could trap people. He could immobilize them. He could use the thread to climb and hang from otherwise impossible locations. He could swing on them.

“JARVIS, pull up everything you have on spiderwebbing on my computer in the lab.”

There was a pause. “It is waiting for you there.”

Minshun took one last look at his spider friend. “Thank you, spider.” He smiled. “And thank you, Great Mediator, for giving me help in a time I needed it. Hallowed be your name.”

Minshun hopped down from the rafters and ran towards the elevator. On his way, he scooped up his somehow intact earpieces. He would put those away for later. 

He slid into his seat at his workstation. Just as JARVIS had said, there was a ton of information pulled up on his screen. He pulled out a notepad and pen so he could take notes.

He studied this webbing thoroughly. Its makeup. All its functions. Its properties. How it was made inside the spider. He calculated how much bigger he was than a spider and found out how strong webbing would have to be to support him.

This was going to be a long project, but it would be worth all the effort.

At one point, JARVIS informed him that Tony was calling him to supper. He ignored it. He was too focused to be hungry.

He started making designs. Calculations. He used the computer and the AI to help him just like Tony had shown him. He would suggest an idea, and JARVIS would point out any errors. As he kept listing ideas, JARVIS found less and less problems with them.

Minshun was ecstatic. He couldn’t wait to perfect the formula and start forming this human spiderwebbing. This was going to be terrific.


	16. Chapter 16: Day Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you guys are probably ready for some Spiderman action, and it's coming. I promise. And it'll be good. But until then, here is a little mother/son bonding.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Someone was touching Minshun’s shoulder.

His eyes flew open at the unexpected contact. As adrenaline kicked in, he grabbed the wrist by his shoulder with one hand and his assailant’s shoulder with the other. There was a screech from under him as he flipped over the person, rolling as he hit the floor. He spun around in an attack position to see his opponent.

A surprised Pepper Stark stood, hands in the air in surrender. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you like that.”

Minshun stood up, running his fingers through his hair in embarrassment. He had always done that when he was emotional, but the habit had intensified from seeing Tony and Bruce do the same thing all the time.

“I didn’t even realize I’d fallen asleep.”

“And I’m surprised Tony let you. I know he has bad sleeping habits, but really. You’d think he would know better than to let you start getting them too.”

“Believe me. It’s nothing new. I’ve never had regular sleep.”

Pepper crossed her arms and looked at him pointedly – but he could tell she wasn’t actually threatening him. “Well, it’s not too late for you to change that. And now that I’m back, I fully intend to help.”

Minshun found himself smiling at her. She was so different than the others. So… motherly. He missed his mother. Well, technically he supposed the lady in front of him was his mother. But not the one he grew up with. He missed that mother. But this new mother wasn’t entirely bad.

She turned to his workspace. “I see Tony cleared a spot for you. That’s nice of him.” She bent over and looked at the screen. “What are you working on? It looks very complicated.”

“Oh, it is. It’ll take a lot of work, but I think I can do it.”

She turned to him, eyebrow raised in curiosity. She had an expectant grin. “You gonna tell me what it is?”

Minshun shrugged. “I’d rather wait and show you.”

Pepper chuckled. “Just like your father. Now, the real question is, is it dangerous?”

He paused. “Maybe.”

Pepper shook her head. “Of course, it is. You’re a Stark.” She held out her arms. “Welcome to the family.”

Minshun didn’t know what to say.

He had to admit, Pepper had to be his favorite person in this building. She wasn’t trying to change him. She wasn’t trying to force him into being something he wasn’t. She wasn’t trying to alter his beliefs. She wasn’t judging him or treating him like he was incapable. She was just there. Accepting him for who he was. Glad that he was there with her.

It made him feel welcome. It made him feel cared for. It made him feel like he didn’t have to act. It was a nice change, not having to pretend to be someone he wasn’t. He could just be natural because that’s what Pepper was doing too.

He realized she hadn’t been let into the other’s plans to manipulate him. He was grateful for that. At least for the time being, he could have one person on his side.

He ambled to where she was sitting and leaned beside her. “How did you know I was down here anyway? Did Tony send you?”

She laughed. “Oh goodness, no. He’s not up this early. None of the Avengers are. Well, maybe Steve. He’d be the only one. Anyway. I got back not too long ago. I wanted to check on you, so I stopped by your room. When I saw you weren’t there, I asked JARVIS where you were, and he directed me here.” She gestured to the lab around them.

“Oh. Okay.”

The two stayed in comfortable silence for a while. Simply enjoying each other’s company.

Pepper caught Minshun glancing at the screen on his workspace.

“You can keep working, if you want. Don’t let me stop you. I’ll just watch. And don’t worry. The finished product will still be a surprise. I don’t get any of that tech stuff. That’s Tony’s forte.”

Minshun looked at her reluctantly. “Are you sure? We could do whatever you want.”

Pepper shook her head. “No. I insist. I am completely content watching you work. I just want to spend time with you.”

He smiled at her. How had she ended up in the same place as the Avengers? All he knew was he was glad she did.

He found a stool and brought it to his workspace so they could both sit. It didn’t take long for him to get back in his zone. He was making even more progress now that he was rested. As his idea was coming together, he grew more excited. This was going to be so useful. And fun. He was going to be proud when he finished it.

After a while, he grew stiff from sitting so long. He stood up to stretch. As he did so, he saw Pepper gazing at him with a loving, content expression.

“Done for now?” she questioned.

He nodded.

He watched as Pepper picked up his earpieces.

“I couldn’t help but notice these. They seem pretty fancy. And it looks like it has Tony’s handywork in it as well.” She looked at him for conformation, which he gave with another nod. “Can I inquire as to what it does?”

“It’s supposed to enhance hearing.”

She cocked an eyebrow in a questioning manner. “Supposed to?”

“It didn’t turn out like it was supposed to. It was a little… too much.” He felt a shiver run up his spine at the memory.

Pepper placed the device back on the table and folded her hands in her lap. “There’s always next time.”

“I guess.”

Minshun watched as Pepper checked the time. “Hmm. You know what,” she began. “I’m hungry. I think it’s time for some breakfast. What do you say?”

“Sounds good to me.”

He was growing used to eating multiple times a day. It was definitely strange still, but he enjoyed the extra energy it gave him. And not feeling hollow was always a bonus. He would miss all the food when he went home.

Pepper scrunched her face, looking at the boy deep in thought. “I also noticed your room and your workspace are very bland. I think we should change that. Why don’t we go out to eat and then go shopping? Pick some stuff up that you need? Some that you want?”

“Oh, I don’t know.”

She wanted to get him things? He didn’t deserve that. He wouldn’t be here that long. Hopefully not, anyway. And he didn’t see anything wrong with things being bland. It was functional. That’s the way everything was back home.

“Come on,” Pepper prodded. “It’ll be fun. Besides. You’ve been here with everyone else for a while. It’s my turn to get you to myself. And I can bet you want to get out of this building.”

She wasn’t wrong. Even though he was allowed anywhere in the building, he longed for the fresh air. And if that would also make Pepper happy?...

“I guess so.”

Smiling widely, Pepper hopped off her stool. “Great. I’ll get my stuff and meet you at the door in a few minutes.”

The two were soon on the streets of the city. Pepper directed them towards a restaurant. Minshun ordered pancakes. He loved pancakes. And lots of syrup. He wasn’t sure what Pepper was eating, but she looked much more dignified eating it than he did his food. 

The restaurant was much larger and busier than the sandwich shop Steve had taken him to. Minshun wasn’t sure how he felt about all the people surrounding him, but he trusted Pepper.

As they were finishing their food, Pepper addressed their shopping task. “I was thinking. I don’t take you as the type who is gonna like shopping for a long time. You’ll probably get bored. So, we should get you some new clothes. You need that. And then some things for you to have fun with. We can come out another time and get more.”

“If that’s what you think is best.”

“It is.”

They went to a clothes store first. Minshun had never seen so many pieces of clothing in his life. There were so many colors and styles. He couldn’t see the function of most of them. How could you blend into your surrounding when you wore neon pink? Or clothes that restricted movement? What was the purpose?

He kept looking for the armor. He couldn’t find any. It made him frustrated. He finally gave up and settled on a pair of black pants and a black shirt. They were similar to his training gear. These seemed like the most functional clothes in the entire building. He took them over to Pepper to see what she thought.

“That’s it?”

He looked between the clothes in his hands and the woman before him. He nodded. 

What did she mean ‘That’s it?’ He already had the garments he brought from home and an outfit Tony gave him. He didn’t need much more.

Pepper shook her head. “Oh, no. You need more than that. You. Stay here. I will get you some stuff.” She walked away and began her searching.

She ended up getting a lot of clothes. Minshun didn’t see the need for most of it. Thankfully, there wasn’t any of those ugly bright clothes. But there were a lot of shirts with words on them. What was the point of that? The only words on clothing back home represented one’s affiliation with the Alliance, tribe, squadron, and rank. But these showed no signs of any of that. They were just words.

Pepper seemed satisfied with her choices though. If she was happy with it, he would accept it. He would wear the useless clothing just for her. No one else.

“Now. What kind of fun things do you want?” Pepper questioned. “I know you’re probably too old for toys. Shame. But we can get you other things.”

Minshun shrugged. Once again, he didn’t understand the need. He had everything he could possibly need. Why would he need anything else?

“Oh, come on, Minshun. You must want something.”

His eyes widened. She had called him his name. His real name. All the more proof she was on his side. She wanted him to be him. Not some human boy he wasn’t. He really did have one person he could trust. At least until the Avengers got to her. They would probably change her mind on that. But that was a problem for later.

He shook his head to clear those thoughts. “What kind of things would you get?”

“Oh, pretty things. Decorations. But that’s me. And I’m not a teenage boy. Let’s see.” She tapped her chin as she thought. “You seem like you would like sporty things. I bet you’re good at those.”

Minshun tilted his head. “Sports?”

“Yeah. Sports. Games where you compete to see who is better. I’ve heard it’s lots of fun, though I’ve never been partial to it myself. I was always more inclined to academic activities.”

Competitions? Like training? Oh, he was good at those. He could definitely use some of that. “Can I try some of these sports?”

Pepper smiled. “Absolutely. I’m sure we can find a place for that.”

After some searching, they found a store with sports equipment. Pepper told him to look over it himself. It was much easier for him to look around here than at the clothes store. It wasn’t as overwhelming. And most of these things seemed like they could be functional.

He looked over the various pictures on the wall showing people playing the different sports. There were so many. They all seemed to be things he already knew or didn’t see the purpose of.

He walked up to Pepper, telling her he didn’t see anything and was ready to leave. She was about to head out when something caught her eye. She went to pick it up. It was a little white ball and two weird gloves. What good were those? You couldn’t hold anything with that.

“Tony used to say how much he would have loved to throw ball with his son,” Pepper said when she saw his confusion. “Maybe you two can do it now.”

After they left the store, Pepper took him to eat lunch. She got him something called a cheeseburger. “Tony loves these,” she said. He could see why. It was amazing.

Heading back to the tower, Mishun was looking in the windows of the buildings. It was interesting to see the wide variety of items inside. Earth was so strange with all the things it had.

One store caught his eye. He stopped in front of it. Pepper, who had kept walking, turned to see him looking in and walked back.

The store was full of books. Like, real books. Paper books. Not ones on a screen.

Books were a rarity back home. They were deemed unnecessary. One could learn everything they needed to know from the database much quicker than they would flipping through pages.

He heard a door opening. He turned to see Pepper gesturing him into the building.

“Go ahead.” She smiled at him. “You can get whatever you want.”

For once, he didn’t even hesitate. He ran inside and started scanning through the shelves and shelves of books. There were so many. The information he could gather here was remarkable. He searched for ages, looking meticulously at everything. 

He picked up a few books on earth history. Those would be useful. There were also a number of books on science, mathematics, and technology he chose. He spotted a book on spiders which he added to the growing pile. He found a small book with the Avengers logo on it. Him picked it up and flipped through the pages. He put it on top of the spider book. Why not? Maybe he could learn important information about his housemates.

As he put the plethora of books on the counter, the man behind it looked surprised. “I didn’t know young’uns still read this much.”

Pepper walked over and placed her hand on Minshun’s shoulder. “He is a very special boy.” She smiled at him. “And now I know what you really like.”

With the help of Happy and the car, they got all the things they had bought back to the tower. As they walked onto their floor, a waiting Tony looked up at them.

“Seems like somebody has been on a shopping spree.”

Pepper walked over and kissed him. Minshun looked away. He was surprised they had done that in front of him. It was such a sacred thing. Back home, a couple never did that in front of others.

“Oh yes,” the woman said. “It was very fun spending our money. Wasn’t it Minshun?”

Tony cringed as he heard the name. He tried to pretend it hadn’t happened, but it was too late. Minshun had seen it. It brought him back to reality. He shouldn’t have opened himself up again. It was just going to lead to hurt. Pepper would follow in her husband’s footsteps soon enough.

Minshun nodded, answering Pepper’s question. He smiled on the outside, but he was internally rebuilding all his emotional barriers once more.


	17. Chapter 17: First Swings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter (not too much, but a little bit). Still a good one though. Finally, a tiny bit of Spiderman-ish action. Hope you like it!

Minshun clipped the web fluid into place.

After a lot of effort and failed attempts, he had finally done it. He created a replica of spider webbing that could support a human. He had also upgraded his wrist devices from home so they could store and emit the fluid. He was comfortable with those already, so it seemed the most reasonable option. They made it easiest to press the button and to aim.

He spun around to face the wall. Lifting one of his arms, he aimed and pressed his middle fingers to the release button at the base of the wrist.

To his delight, the webbing shot out in a straight line. It attached itself to the wall, spreading at the connection point to provide greater stability. He tugged on the thread, and it held. He released the other end to the table beside him, making a stand-alone line. 

Squatting down to get a better look, he examined his creation. He flicked it. It held. He pushed down on it. It held. He leaned onto it with his elbows. It held. He smiled to himself. He had done it. He had really done it.

Eagerly, he ran to the elevator, leaving the line of spider webbing. He had designed it to dissolve after an hour or so. He would return later to see if that worked.

He headed down to the training area. There wasn’t enough space to move around like he needed to in the lab. He bounced up and down as he descended. He was so excited. As soon as the doors opened, he ran out. In his rush, he hadn’t seen the man standing in his way. He collided into him at full force.

Stumbling back, he apologized. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking.” He hoped whoever it was wasn’t going to be too mad.

Steve smiled down at him. “It’s all good, kid. Eager to get some energy out I see.”

“Yeah. Sorry.”

“No need to apologize. I get it. Hey. I was about to go for a run if you want to come.”

Normally, Minshun would have jumped at the opportunity to get out and run. But he was focused. He had a mission. And he wasn’t going to get distracted.

“No thanks. Next time maybe.”

“Absolutely.” Steve walked to the elevator. “See you ‘round.”

Minshun walked deeper into the room. Great. Now that he was alone….

“Hey, Peter.”

The boy sighed as he turned to the source of his new aggravation. To his dismay, Natasha and Clint were in the middle of a sparring match. They were still circling each other as they spoke to him.

“You want to join? The more the merrier.”

Minshun sighed. He knew he couldn’t do what he wanted as long as they were here. And from the looks of it, they weren’t leaving any time soon. He slid off his wrist devices, grabbed a staff, hopped in the ring, and started circling with the two. Might as well have some fun while he waited.

They started attacking, blocking, and dodging one another in a complex, dance-like fashion. It would have been a glorious thing to watch. His people would have been proud of the human trio.

Natasha spoke as she swung at Minshun with one baton, the other still blocking her from Clint.

“What were those things you took off?”

Minshun easily blocked and pushed back. “Just something I was working on,” he replied. “Don’t want them to get damaged.”

The red head grinned mischievously as she turned and blocked an attack from her fellow agent. “You hear that, Clint? He thinks we’re good enough to damage him.”

Clint dodged as Natasha made multiple attacks from both sides. “I know. It’s almost like he thinks we’re super-agent assassins or something.”

Clint stepped back to dodge a blow to the head. He spun and made a stabbing motion with his staff at Minshun’s torso. “So, what’s so important that it must be protected?”

Minshun twisted his body to avoid the hit and swung his own staff to avoid a blow from Natasha. “Not telling.”

The two Avengers simultaneously swung at him, and he rolled out to avoid them. With him momentarily out of the way, Natasha and Clint focused on one another.

“Oh, how cute,” the woman said. “He thinks he can hide things.”

“I know,” the archer replied. “What a shame we’re so good at our job. We find out everything.”

With their focus off of him, Minshun saw an opportunity. He crept towards Clint, whose back was to him. Natasha saw the boy, but she didn’t say anything. Why not let him take out the man if he could?

Minshun swung his staff at the archer’s legs, knocking the surprised man off balance. Minshun leaned onto his hands and brought his legs up towards the man’s neck. He latched on and pulled Clint down to the ground. The man started rolling on the ground, trying to get the upper hand, but it was no use. Minshun, who was already in position, got Clint in a headlock. Clint tried to wiggle out of it but soon stopped. He tapped out.

Minshun released the man and reached for his staff. He jumped up and turned to Natasha, knowing Clint would exit the ring.

Natasha looked amused. “Impressive. Where did you learn that?”

He shrugged, eyes still locked on hers. “I taught myself.”

Natasha stepped forward in an attack. Her batons and his staff whizzed through the air as they swiftly blocked and attacked each other. “I like it. I’ll show you some of mine if you show me some of yours.”

“Why not,” he replied as he ducked a blow to the temple.

He heard Clint call from outside the ring. “And I’m gonna watch. You’re not getting me that easy again.”

“Wouldn’t expect anything else,” he called back.

Soon enough, Natasha won the match. Clint hopped back into the ring, and they all sparred again. This time, Minshun was the first one out. He exited the ring and watched, trying to learn from what he saw.

He was enjoying this. This was his element. This was his passion. This is what he had spent so much of his life doing.

Most importantly, he wasn’t having to act like someone he wasn’t. Interacting with the two agents in the ring, he acted the same way he did when sparring back home. They were just a bunch of soldiers having fun and training together. He had needed that. He needed to be reminded of what it felt like to truly be part of a group.

After an hour or so, Natasha and Clint left. They tried to convince Minshun to hang out with them more, but he insisted on staying. He told them he wanted to practice his aim, which wasn’t technically wrong. Clint offered to stay and help him, but the boy declined.

Finally alone, he slipped his precious contraptions onto his wrists. He hit the button that made the fingertips of his gloves sticky. He had added that function when he designed the web-releasing mechanism. He thought they would work well together. He ran to the wall and effortlessly scaled it with his fingertips, plopping himself on that familiar spot in the rafters.

He released a line of webbing between two horizontal beams. It was a small one. Only a few feet long. With his hand on the support beam, he stepped carefully onto the webbing. He wobbled slightly, not used to walking on such a thin line. He leaned onto the support beam but didn’t step off.

The webbing held his weight. That was good. He bounced up and down on it. Still held. Fantastic.

Now for what he really wanted to do.

He had always loved the ropes courses back at the base. They were so fun to climb and swing on. For once, his smaller size worked in his favor. He had less mass to carry. 

He always thought that ropes could be more useful when fighting. One could scale walls easier. Swing between two places. Catch fleeing enemies or falling comrades. When he suggested this to Commander Harshin, it was quickly dismissed. It was inconvenient. Camolians weren’t good with ropes. And one always had to secure the ropes with knots or hooks, which took too long. 

Oh well. If this worked, he just might change their mind.

Minshun looked at the beam across from him. He estimated the distance. He looked up at the ceiling. He calculated where he would have to put the string and how long it would have to be to reach across. He aimed his hand and fired. He hit his target. Carefully, he grasped the line with both hands. He glanced down. It would not be good if this didn’t work. But everything had gone well so far. He took a deep breath.

He jumped, using his legs to swing him forward.

He felt a jolt in his shoulders as the line tensed under the pressure. But it held. He was swinging. His heart was pounding, adding to the thrill. He felt the air blow across his face. He smiled.

Once he was above the beam, he let go. He wobbled as he landed, but he knelt down and regained his balance.

He laughed to himself in delight. He had done it. He had really done it. Oh, this was going to be so useful. And fun. The Alliance would be so glad of his contribution to their armory. These would make great tools. And weapons. He could even add to it. He could learn to send things through the line like electricity or poison, using it to debilitate the enemy.

His mind ran wild with possibilities. With ways he could better the technology. The endless ways he could use it.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

Now wasn’t the time for that. He would have plenty of time to work on that later. He could even do that back home.

Now, he was going to enjoy his success. He was going to have fun.

He swung back and forth again and again and again. He swung until his arms were so sore he felt they could fall off. Then, he strung some webbing between the beams and walked on them, finding his balance. He slipped a few times, but he always wrapped his arms and legs around the line to prevent his fall to the ground. He kept walking until he was confident. He then started making… webs? Yeah, they were pretty much webs. He climbed them. He laid on them. He made fancy patterns with them, finding out which ones were the quickest or most efficient or most stable.

Overall, he enjoyed his time.

When he was finally finished, he scrambled back to his familiar corner. Searching, he crawled up until he found what he wanted.

His spider friend.

He leaned closer to the little arachnid. “Thank you, little friend.”

He scampered down the beam and headed to get some rest after all his hard work.


	18. Chapter 18: Fragments in Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Peter and Pepper moments. Yay.
> 
> And another episode of Tony not quite thinking things through. But he's still a good dad. He just wants to protect his family.
> 
> And man I love Loki, even when he's not the greatest person... like in this.
> 
> Hope you like reading it as much as I liked writing it!

Minshun sat in the common room. He was laying on one couch beside Pepper while everyone else was spread across the various chairs and couches.

As far as he could tell, the Avengers had not tainted her thoughts of him and pulled her into their plan to manipulate his mind. He kept on the lookout for any signs of it, but she never expressed any. It was just her being her. And he would accept that.

Steve had been right about one thing all that time ago. He needed normality. And Pepper gave him that. She solidified his beliefs that there were good people worth helping on this planet. Helping protect people like her and put them in a world of peace and safety was the very reason he joined the Alliance. When his people came to get him, he would make sure they took great care of her.

It was getting harder for him to tell when the rest of the group was being genuine or manipulative. Sometimes it was obvious, like when they talked about his future on earth or they discussed morality. But other times, he found himself believing what they were saying.

He would quickly scold himself mentally. It was just because he had spent so much time without the Alliance. As soon as they picked him up, his mindset would return to normal. Everything would be okay.

But while he was on earth, he still had to pretend. He had to pretend that he thought of this as his home and he was abandoning the Alliance. He hated it. He felt like a traitor. But he had no alternative options.

Sometimes he would take it too far, and they would grow suspicious. He would overhear them talking about how he wasn’t being natural in some way or another, and he would make an effort to fix it however he could. It was grueling. 

He couldn’t wait to be home.

But for now, he was watching reality TV with his housemates. On the show, there was a guy and he was trying to figure out which one of many women he should end up in a relationship with. Minshun couldn’t understand why all these women wanted to be with him, but oh well.

Steve and Tony were debating the stupidity of the show. Natasha and Pepper were trying to convince them why it was great to watch. And Clint and Bruce were eating popcorn, watching the drama unfold on and off screen.

Minshun sat in indifference. He was only there because Pepper had asked him.

“I have returned!” The thundering voice of Thor resonated across the room. 

Minshun bolted up, immediately on edge. He didn’t like this man. He knew he would be expected to since Thor was an Avenger, but he didn’t know how he would fake it. He didn’t like how he had been locked up by the Asgardian and his people. Not to mention his outright defiance of the Alliance. He had literally killed some of his comrades. He was the worst out of all the Avengers in that regard.

“Thor, nice to see you,” Steve said. He stood to greet the Asgardian prince. “What are you…. Watch out! Loki’s behind you!”

The whole team was on their feet and preparing for an attack. Natasha whipped out a gun from goodness knows where. Clint and Steve just had their hands as their weapons had been left elsewhere. Bruce was… doing something. And Tony had summoned his suit with a button on his fancy watch.

When the suit zoomed in, it sent glass fragments flying everywhere. Pepper screamed. Minshun leapt in front of her as a human shield.

“Tony! The window!”

“Not now, Pep.”

“Your son has glass shards in his back because you lied and didn’t do what I asked of you and made sure the windows opened for your suit.”

“I cannot believe you, Stark.” Loki stepped forward. “You could have just told us if you didn’t want to keep the boy anymore.”

Tony fired up his gauntlet. He was fuming. “Now, listen here, you little….”

“Excuse my brother, Man of Iron,” Thor interjected as he placed himself in front of Loki. “There has been a misunderstanding. My brother is not going to do any harm. We have put our odds behind us, and he has agreed to be friendly with the Midgardians.”

“I do not remember agreeing to that,” Loki replied.

“Well, you meant it. In your heart.”

“You are mistaken. I will not harm them. That is very different from wanting to be their friend.”

Thor turned to the group. “Either way, he is sorry for what he has done.”

“No, I’m really not.”

“Yes, you are. You were nice enough when they came to Asgard for the boy.”

“That is solely because they ignored me in their rush to reunite. If we had interacted more, I assure you, things would have gone very differently. More like this. Right here.”

“Be quiet.”

“Okay,” Tony said. “What are you doing here?”

Thor laughed awkwardly. “What? A man cannot meet with his dear friends?”

“Father got mad at him and told him to spend some time away,” Loki corrected.

“Okay, that one makes more sense,” Tony said. He pointed a finger at Loki. “Now why are you here?”

“Father didn’t want to deal with me alone, so he sent me with Thor.”

“Why does that not surprise me. I still don’t want you in my tower.”

“In case you have forgotten, I helped you reunite with your child.” The god turned to Minshun. “I hope they are treating you well. Although, I don’t see how since your mother and I are clearly the only ones who seem to care about you, proven by the shards in your back.”

Minshun glared at the man. He was still suspicious of the Asgardian. He had always thought he was one to be feared. But as he shifted and felt the window glass cutting into his skin, he realized the man had a point. Both he and the rest of the Avengers were continuously lying and pretending to try and force each other to think differently than the truth. Was anything they said true? Did they even care for him at all, or did they just want another fighter for their team? Or to find out how to make themselves like him?

“Banner, take Pete and fix him up,” Tony said.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Minshun protested. “I can take care of myself.”

“No. This is where you zip it. The adults are talking.”

“Ohhh,” Loki chuckled darkly. “I see the big happy family is not so happy. They aren’t even using your name. Believe me, I know all about family troubles.”

“You better stop talking to my kid right now! I don’t need you messing with his mind!” Tony yelled, firing up his armor again.

Loki smiled slyly. His eyes were still locked on the boy. “I don’t need to. He already thought everything I have said on his own.”

MInshun stiffened. He felt all eyes on him, but he refused to turn look at anyone.

“Oh, come now.” Loki surveyed the group still ready to fight him. “I can tell when someone is acting. And he clearly is. His clothes. His hanging around you. His lack of rebellion. He is acting to please you. To save his skin. Not because he is accepting his place here.” He paused. “And the fact that he hasn’t argued otherwise proves I’m right.”

Pepper grabbed Minshun’s hand. “Why don’t we go,” she suggested gently.

He nodded. He wanted to get out of here. No longer because he didn’t like the Asgardians. In fact, he quite admired Loki. The man didn’t pretend things were different than they actually were. Granted, he was being very manipulative, but that wasn’t the point.

Minshun wanted to get away from the Avengers. He knew they would be mad at him. He knew they would now try and change his mind on everything in even more ways, altering their plans to get to him. Pepper was the only one who wasn’t doing that. So, he would gladly leave with her.

The two walked away in silence. When they got to their floor, Pepper led him to the bathroom and asked him to sit down. He did so as she rummaged through the cabinets in a hunt for tweezers. He pulled off his shirt as he knew she was going to ask him to. He spun around so his back was to her.

He felt her hands gently trail his back. “Poor thing,” Pepper whispered. “This will probably hurt a bit.”

“I’m used to worse.”

She began pulling the sharps out of his back. It wasn’t too bad. None of them were very deep. It was more annoying than anything else.

Pepper spoke as she worked. “I’m sorry that happened. I told Tony to program his suit to stop blowing through the windows. Or make the window’s open up. For crying out loud, it’s not that complicated. I don’t know why he feels the urge to break them.”

“It’s fine,” he replied flatly.

“No, it’s not. We are your parents. We’re supposed to protect you from harm, not force you into it.”

“Better me than you.”

“Speaking of which, thank you for blocking me. That was very heroic of you. You didn’t have to do that though. I’m used to things like that by now. I am married to Ironman, after all.”

“You shouldn’t have to be used to it,” he said. 

He didn’t like the thought of Pepper getting hurt. She was too sweet to be hurt. He was mad at the Avengers for bringing her into this world of theirs that was full of danger. She deserved a world of peace and security. She deserved what the Alliance had to offer. The rest of them could be gotten rid of for all he cared.

“You shouldn’t either,” Pepper replied softly. “Especially not at your age.”

Minshun didn’t know what he was supposed to say. He didn’t see why his age was such a big deal to everyone. Everyone on Camolia was trained like him at his age. It wasn’t out of the ordinary. And it wasn’t like he wasn’t capable. He was very capable.

“All done,” Pepper said. “Now, let me put some Polysporin on it.” After a few moments, he felt her rubbing some of that cream onto his cuts. “There.”

Minshun grabbed his shirt and stood up. He wasn’t going to put it back on. That would be pointless with the cuts in the shirt. He walked out of the bathroom and went to his room. He was tired. Well, not that tired. Not physically, anyway. But he wanted to sleep. It was late, and he wanted to escape the problems he was sure would come from this whole scenario. He flipped off his shoes and climbed into bed, curling into a ball under the covers.

The door opened. He didn’t move.

“I know you’re not asleep yet,” Pepper said quietly.

He didn’t respond.

He heard her walking forward and felt the bed dip as she sat beside him.

“About what Loki said.” She paused. “I see where he is coming from. I know you must feel alone a lot. If I were you, I would want to go back to the place I was raised.”

“You would?” he asked. He would have thought she wouldn’t understand.

“I would. It’s where you feel safe. It’s what you’re used to. And I understand life here is very different. But I hope you know you are welcome here. For who you are. All of us in this tower come from various walks of life. We have all become a sort of big family. You are a part of that.”

“Then why do they keep trying to change my mind? To lie to me and make me something I’m not? Why can’t they just see the truth?”

“They just want to help you. They can sometimes take things a little far. They want to protect you. They view the people who raised you as a threat since they took you away. And they want to make sure you won’t go back because of that.”

“But I want to go back. I have to go back.”

“I know that. And I won’t keep you from that. I know how important that is to you. And it wouldn’t be kind of us to force you away from your home for all these years.”

Minshun’s eyes widened. “So I can still go home?”

There was a pause. “Yes,” she said sadly. “But I want you to know that this can be your home too. I want you to feel comfortable here. I hope we can be friends or at least allies with this Alliance so you won’t have to choose. If they are like you say they are, then we both want the same thing. We want peace. Besides. They can’t be all bad if they raised you.”

“You’re still on my side?”

“I’m always on your side. I want what is best for you. I love you.”

“What does that mean?”

Silence. “No one has ever said they love you?”

“No.”

Pepper sighed. She started stroking his hair. It felt nice. It was relaxing. He liked it.

“Love is… an emotion. A strong feeling. It means you care for someone deeply. You don’t want anything bad to happen to them. It means you will support them no matter what. Whatever happens, you will always care for that person. You help them. You’re with them through everything.”

Minshun hummed. “I like that.” He had never heard anything like that. He had been told he was liked. He had been tolerated. But this love was new to him. He thought of the people in his life he felt that way about. He loves his mother back home. He loves Hisha. He loves Chaksli. He loves….

“Pepper?”

“Yes?”

“I love you too.”

Minshun closed his eyes to sleep. He felt Pepper’s lips brush his forehead. He thought it was a strange action, but he liked it. It felt good.

He fell asleep content, the woman beside him providing warmth and comfort as she continued to play with his hair.


	19. Chapter 19: Fall Before You Fly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo. This chapter is an emotional rollarcoaster. But I really like this one. It shows a lot of development.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

Minshun stepped out of his room. He heard Tony and Pepper talking from their room, so he crept closer to listen.

“Pep, why would you tell him that?” Tony groaned.

“He’s lonely. He wants to go home. He feels like you are keeping him from that.”

“We are, Pepper. We are. He shouldn’t be there. They aren’t good people.”

“He doesn’t see that. Besides, maybe we could negotiate with them. They can’t be all bad.”

“Not from what I’ve heard. They ‘get rid of’ anyone who doesn’t give into them. Does that sound like a good guy to you?”

“No. But….”

“Exactly. And we need Peter to see that. But he won’t if you keep telling him that they are good guys and he can still go back. His brainwashing has to be broken. He has to be shown the truth. He won’t like it. He isn’t liking us for showing it to him. But it has to be done.”

“But I don’t want him to not like us. I feel like he is growing more accepting. At least with me.”

“That’s because you are giving him what he wants. Not what he needs. I know it’s hard, but you need to stop. He needs to see that he is staying here. With people who actually care about him. Have you seen him? Seen the scars from what they put him through? They experimented on him, Pepper. It’s not natural. He’s not natural. He can’t go back. And the sooner he sees that, and the sooner he sees what they did to him was wrong, the better it will be.”

“So what am I supposed to do exactly? Break my kid’s heart? Force him to turn into someone he isn’t?”

“Yes. That’s exactly what we have to do. We need to show him there is no going back. We need to break him out of this mental state he is in. Only then can the brainwashing fade away. Only then will the real Peter come out and this soldier fade away.”

“Tony….”

“I know it’s gonna be hard on him. Hard on everyone involved. Believe me. I do. But it has to be done for his own good.”

“So what’s the plan? What’s this big thing that will break him out of this mentality?”

“School. We send him to school. He needs it anyway. I found this school of science I think would be great for….”

Minshun couldn’t stand it anymore. He sprinted to the elevator door. They must have heard his hectic escape as they called after him, but it was too late. The elevator doors were closing.

“JARVIS. Take me to the bottom, exit floor.”

“I cannot do that. You are not permitted out of the building without….”

“I don’t care! Get me out of here!”

“Yelling will not change the fact that I cannot….”

“Gahhh!” Minshun punched the wall, leaving his knuckles bloody and the wall dented. “Just take me somewhere I can get some air!”

The elevator quickly moved upward. The doors opened, and he stumbled onto the landing pad near the top of the building. The fresh air and sunlight hit his face, but they did nothing to soothe him.

He ran to the edge and looked down. The drop to the ground was startling. It caused his heart to race even faster. Emotions flooded over him, and he fell to the floor, curling in on himself.

They were going to send him away. Not only had they turned Pepper against him right in front of him, but they didn’t even want him around anymore. They had promised he could go home. Pepper had promised he could go home. But it had all been a lie. They never intended to set him free. They didn’t want what was best for him. They didn’t even want him.

Tony’s words rung in his ears. ‘He’s not natural.’ ‘He can’t go back.’ ‘We need to break him.’

He started hyperventilating as his mind went rampant. How were his people going to find him if he was taken away? Would they even accept him after all of this? They had to, right? He could bring so much new knowledge to the table. They just had to. He couldn’t give up hope now. But it had been over a month since he disappeared, and no one had seen any sign of them….

Or at least that’s what everyone had told him. But everyone lied. They probably had come for him. These people just hadn’t let them through.

He had to get away. He had to. But how could he? He couldn’t even get out of the building, much less off the planet.

He was screwed. His world was collapsing in on itself. He had been trying to cling onto a thread of hope for so long. And it had finally been cut. It had been cut when Pepper agreed to help them change him.

He sobbed. His whole body shook as the emotions he had suppressed for months now flooded out of him. The loneliness. The despair. The hopelessness. The dread of what was to come. The realization that things weren’t going to get better. He wasn’t going to see his home again. He wasn’t going to see his friends or family. He was going to have his home, his life, his very identity stripped away from him, and there was nothing more he could do to stop it.

He hated being weak like this. He hated showing this much emotion out in the open. But what was the point of hiding it? What was the point of being strong? It wasn’t going to help him get home, so why would he care? He had nothing left to be strong for, so he just let himself fall apart.

He felt dizzy. He was gasping for air between sobs. He leaned on his side, his head lazily looking over the edge, unable to do anything else. He couldn’t control anything. He had nothing left to control.

Minshun became vaguely aware of arms encompassing him and pulling him away from the edge. He had no idea who they belonged to. The tears in his eyes were too great to make out anything. But he clung to them none the less. They were the only thing keeping him connected to the real world.

Slowly, he regained his senses. His sobs lessened. He could see once more.

He turned to see Pepper and Tony sitting beside him. Tears streamed down their own faces as they gazed at him solemnly.

Something inside his mind shut down. He went from this overly-emotional state to completely numb. How dare these people pretend they cared. They only wanted what they wanted. They didn’t care about him. They were liars and manipulators, and he wanted nothing to do with them.

He straightened himself and wiped the tears from his eyes. He stared straight ahead between their shoulders. He donned his soldier, emotionless façade. He would not let it down again. It had been stupid to do so in the first place. His emotional outburst would be the last they saw from him.

“Peter,” Tony said. His voice cracked with emotion.

Silence.

“We know you heard us talking. It must seem scary, but it’s for your own good.”

“We love you,” Pepper said. “We are only looking out for you. Sometimes, people can’t see the bigger picture and need others to push them towards things. Even if they don’t like it. That’s all we’re doing.”

Silence.

“You might hate me for now,” Tony said. “I can live with that. I hated my father for a long time. But I will know I’ve done what needed to be done for your benefit.”

Silence.

The parents shared a worried look. Neither one knew what to do in this situation. It would have been easier if he was lashing out. Yelling. Anything to let them know what he was thinking.

But that was the problem. He wasn’t thinking anything. His mind and body were numb. Everything had been too much for him, so he did the only thing he knew to do. He shut everything off. He had learned to dissociated when he was in a lot of pain. Normally, it was physical pain, but this tactic seemed to work for the mental turmoil as well.

Maybe it was for the best. They couldn’t twist his mind if he wasn’t thinking anything.

The couple led him back to their floor. He obeyed robotically. They gave him food and water. He downed it without a care. Steve offered to take him on a run, and the worried parents insisted he go. They thought for sure that would cheer him up. He came back with the same blank expression. Natasha and Clint sparred with him. He went through the motions with great skill, but he never felt or showed anything. Tony and Bruce brought him to the lab to work with them. He worked perfectly through the equations and designed complex schematics, but nothing changed inside.

That night, he lay in bed and stared at the ceiling.

He didn’t like feeling this way. It wasn’t like he wanted to be numb. He just didn’t know how to zone back in. Since he always dissociated like this due to physical trauma, he would snap out of it when the pain lessened. But that wasn’t the case now. The mental pain couldn’t lessen because he couldn’t feel it.

He rolled over. He needed to do something. He was useless in this state. Even if his people were to miraculously appear, they wouldn’t want someone as weak and pathetic as him. They would just leave him.

But what could he do?

As he stared ahead of him, his eyes began to focus on something on his nightstand. It was his wrist devices. He reached for them, examining them in his hands.

He recalled the thrill of using them. How amazing and alive it had made him feel. He then thought of the height he had been at earlier. How it had made his heart pound when he looked at the street below.

Without being fully aware of his actions, he slipped out of bed and threw on his old training clothes. Then, he headed quietly out the door and into the elevator. He soon stood on the edge of the landing platform, leaning on the railing and looking out at the city. 

It was beautiful. The darkness encompassing the landscape somehow made it more peaceful. And the lights that scattered the city looked like stars. He saw the life and hustle despite it being so late. It reminded him of the base. There were always people doing work there, no matter what time.

Minshun felt as if he was out of his body. He pressed on his device, causing the sticky gloves to encompass his fingers. He carefully slide over the edge, securing his feet on a small ledge and using his fingertips to cling to the building against his back.

His heart was pounding, but he still didn’t feel anything.

He took a deep breath. Looking around, he found the next tallest building to his right. He spun around so he was facing the wall. 

Then, he pushed off with all his might. He flew through the air. He was falling. Falling. Falling.

He released a line of webbing. When it hit his target, he pulled on it and swung towards the building. With a thud, he landed on the side of it. His fingertips and bare toes were the only things keeping him from falling.

He felt alive. He felt invigorated. He wanted to do it again.

He pushed off the building. With a flip, he turned and fired another web at the next building. He pulled himself to that one and landed on the wall. He turned to the next one and did it again.

Soon, he didn’t even have to land on the buildings. He was swinging freely through the air, flipping and whooping in delight.

He heard commotion below him. When he looked, there were countless people looking at the sky. They were pointing at… him? Wow.

As he grew tired, he changed his course and swung back towards the tower. He landed gracefully on the side and scaled the building to the landing platform. He quickly ran into the elevator and headed back to his room.

He undressed and climbed back into bed. Drifting to sleep, he found himself smiling. It had worked. He had felt something. He felt amazing.

No matter what happened to him, Minshun told himself it would be worth it just to have experienced that thrilling adventure.


	20. Chapter 20: Night Monkey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spiderman: Far From Home references... Yay! And don't worry. His hero name does get sorted out very soon. This just adds a little bit of fun until then.
> 
> Enjoy!

The next morning, everyone was glad to see Minshun being expressive. Well, more expressive. It was mainly one word replies and noises to display with minimal emotion what he thought or felt about something. But that was still improvement from the day before.

Now that he had sorted through everything, he was infuriated. He wanted nothing to do with the Avengers. But he didn’t want to leave the tower as he would be giving up all his current resources and throwing himself farther into the unknown. Therefore, he was forced to interact with the group at some points.

Tony and Pepper sat him down for a talk. They explained that they acknowledged his desire to not be sent away for school. They accepted that, but they still perceived it as necessary step in his development. It was a vital part of every kid’s life. So, they wanted to compromise. They would teach him school at home.

And by they, they meant Bruce.

Minshun was okay with this. Not that he had a choice. But if he had to pick someone there to spend the most time with, it would be Bruce. Tony and Pepper had completely lost his trust. The others lost his trust by default. But Banner seemed different somehow. More withdrawn, like him. He was gentler over everything, not forceful yet always striving for control. Minshun didn’t trust him fully, but he was the best choice to spend time with.

Bruce was great at teaching mathematics and science. Minshun even enjoyed it. He had always liked learning about those things. They were some of his favorite lessons back at the base.

Bruce was a decent teacher in English, literature, and history. Apparently, he had written a few book, so that helped with the first two. History was more of a challenge, but Minshun had already read about a lot of the things in his history book in his spare time, so it didn’t matter.

However, when it came time for the art class Pepper had insisted on him taking (she claimed it was important for him to try everything to challenge himself and see what he was good at), Bruce gave up.

“I don’t understand what this man is talking about,” he said.

They were watching a video on how to sketch landscapes. The instructor on the screen was using very fancy words that neither of them understood.

“I think he is talking about shading.”

Bruce gave him a doubtful side-eyed glance. “Are you sure?”

“No. But that’s all I got.”

Bruce stood up. “Well, that’s better than what I got. If you ask me to draw a schematic, I can do it in the snap of a finger. But this. I don’t get. You think you can finish on your own?”

Minshun nodded.

He returned his focus to the screen as the man walked away.

At the conclusion of the teaching portion, he was given an assignment. He was supposed to sketch a landscape on his own. Over and over, the teacher said to pick a spot that was clear in his mind and he felt strongly about. Then, he would send a copy of it to the teacher over the computer.

There was only one place he could think of that met those requirements. On Camolia, there was this tree about halfway between his house and the base. On his way home, he would often climb into the tree and watch the sunset. The rocky field and the distant horizon made for a glorious display as the vibrant colors spread across the sky. He always found happiness and peace as he watched it from that tree.

In his mind, he could perfectly picture that tree, standing tall in the vast field where it was located. He could imagine the trail leading up to it, and the sun setting behind it.

That is what he would sketch. Or at least attempt to. He had never tried anything like this, so there was no telling if he would do well. And Bruce and Tony’s lack of drawing abilities made him skeptical of the outcome. His tech brain was so similar to theirs. He wouldn’t be surprised if he had the same lack of artistic ability.

He made a fair amount of progress on his sketch when he was summoned to supper in the common room. He grabbed his sketchbook and pencil before heading to eat. He knew they would want him to sit with them after they finished eating. This would give him an excuse to not be social.

Just as he suspected, he ended up sitting by the TV with them as they watched the news. He sat on the floor in front of Bruce because he didn’t want to share a seat with anyone.

Meticulously, he worked on his sketch. He found he was enjoying himself. It was relaxing to see how the image came together. There was also something about seeing something from home unfold on this piece of paper that made him feel better about being away.

“That’s really good,” Bruce said from behind him.

“You think so?” he questioned absentmindedly, still working on the sketch.

“I do. You’re a natural. Much better than I could hope to be.”

Minshun hummed in response.

“Is that a place you made up? I’ve never seen a place like it.”

“No. I was supposed to draw a real place. So, I’m drawing Camolia.”

Silence.

Minshun realized this probably wasn’t something he should have said in front of everyone. They would make a comment about how he should be moving on. How he should have drawn the cityscape because his home planet was behind him. How….

“If it looks like that, I would miss it too.”

Bruce’s comment took him by surprise. Tony sent his fellow scientist a glare, telling him to be quiet. Bruce obliged.

Suddenly, something on the news caught Minshun’s attention.

“Last night, a strange man who pedestrians have labeled ‘The Night Monkey’ swung through our city last night. He appeared to shoot ropes out of his hands. No one knows who he is or what he is doing here. Many speculate that he is joining the Avengers, but thus far there is no proof to support or deny that theory. For the time being, keep an eye out for this arrival to our city. Who knows what else he can do. Now. Back to you, Jeff.”

Shoot. He hadn’t thought about people pointing him out for swinging around. Although, now that he thought about it, he would probably tell someone if he saw a random guy swinging around like a lunatic.

Thankfully, it appeared no one had recognized him. How could they have, though? He never went out, so no one would know his face anyway. That did cause for a rather foolish nickname though. Night Monkey? Really? And rope shooting from his hands? How stupid were these people?

Steve was the first to address what had just been shown. “Tony, what did you do now?”

Tony turned to the man in disbelief. “Me? Why would that be me? I’m not that stupid. I fly. It’s much safer than that.”

“Then who was that?” Clint interjected.

“I don’t know,” Tony replied. “Why don’t you ask your boss?”

“You really think SHIELD has something to do with this?”

“Who knows what the pirate has up his sleeve.”

“Whoever he is, we should find him and talk to him,” Steve said.

“What use would we have for Monkeyman with his magic rope powers?” Tony asked flatly. “We already have enough weirdos in my tower, thank you.”

“Hey. Endless ropes could come in handy,” Clint replied.

Minshun found the whole scenario amusing, but he worked hard to seem indifferent. He caught Natasha staring at him with that weird ‘I-know-you’re-hiding-something-and-I’m-going-to-find-out-what’ look. It put him on edge.

He turned to Bruce and whispered, “I’m going to bed now.”

Bruce bid him goodnight, and he was on his way. Before the elevator doors closed, Natasha slid in beside him.

“Been a long day,” she said. “I thought I’d better head to bed too.”

He hummed in response.

They stood in silence for a few moments. Minshun hoped it would last, but his hope was futile.

“So,” the red head started. She grinned knowingly. “This swinging character seems pretty interesting. We better keep an eye out for him. Although, I bet it would be pretty obvious if we met him.”

“You don’t say.” He hoped she wouldn’t notice the way his voice faltered. He wasn’t fond of the prospect of everyone knowing that was him. They would get mad, and goodness knows what they would do about it. And if Natasha knew, surely they would all know soon enough.

“Oh yeah. I mean, he is probably super active. Clearly runs and jumps a lot. I would say on the young side and not great with people. Otherwise, he would have known to try and be less obvious. And he probably has some noticeable tech on his wrists and hands to produce the webs and help him climb.”

Minshun felt his heartrate speed up as his stress level increased. He had to say something to try and throw her off, no matter how stupid it was.

“But it comes out of his hands. Not tech.”

Natasha cocked her eyebrow in amusement. “You don’t say. And how to you know that?”

“I… I don’t. For sure. But that’s what it said on the news. And the news never lies.”

The second the words escaped his mouth, he knew he should have just stayed silent. It was so stupid that it had to sound suspicious.

Minshun almost sighed in relief when the elevator doors opened. 

Natasha stepped out. As she walked away, she called. “Of course. It’s definitely not a very smart boy who wants to feel alive and is searching for a purpose and created a wrist device he is very protective over and refused to use them in front of other people so he could keep it a secret so he would keep a single form of escapism in a place he feels very restricted and unwelcomed and greatly wants to leave but can’t.”

Dang it.

He had to admit, it was quite impressive how she pieced all of those things together. Impressive, and awful.

He dreaded the group supper the next day. She would tell her friends, and they would gang up on him. They would take away his precious devices, and he would lose the thing he loved. His tiny bit of freedom would be stripped away.

When the time arrived, he begrudgingly sat with everyone. He made up his mind not to speak at all. That way, he couldn’t provoke anything. They didn’t bring it up at first. He wished they would go ahead and get to it. The anticipation was killing him.

The supper ended, and no one had said anything. That was odd. They must be saving it for the end. Maybe they would wait for a lull in the news so they could find entertainment.

They still didn’t say anything.

When Pepper sent Minshun up to bed, they still hadn’t said anything. He wracked his brain, trying to figure out why they were waiting. There was no reason they would not bring it up. Then it hit him. Natasha hadn’t told them. But why?

As the elevator doors were closing, the agent in question slipped in with him just as she had done the previous night.

She stared straight ahead at the door, that knowing smirk spread across her face. “What a shame we haven’t heard anything more from the Night Monkey. Hope he’s okay.

He turned to her. “Why didn’t you tell everyone?”

“Hey, he does still speak. I was starting to wonder.” She turned to face him. “I didn’t think I needed to. As of now, Night Monkey isn’t doing anything dangerous. In fact, I would say it is helping him.” She squinted at him. “But the second any of that changes, I’m sure Night Monkey’s father will have a great deal of things to say to him.”

The doors opened, and Natasha stepped out.

“Wait,” Minshun called after her.

She spun on her heels, looking at him expectantly.

“Thanks.”

She smiled at him. “No problem. You know, I am on your side, even if you don’t always see it.”


	21. Chapter 21: Birth of a Spider Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we go. Spiderman is born... obviously, since that's in the title of the chapter.
> 
> Also, love Natasha. She doesn't stop him from doing what he needs to do, but she makes sure he can do it safely. She knows he needs support, someone to look out for him. Protective mother mode activated.
> 
> Hope you like it!

“I wish this guy would hurry up and do something. Literally anything,” Tony groaned.

The Night Monkey was on the news again. Minshun had started going out more often now. It was such a great feeling to swing freely through the city. And it was a great addition to training. Not to mention the people who would cheer as he swung by. That was always fun to hear.

People on the news and the internet were going crazy over him. There were some ridiculous speculations as to who he was and what he was doing there. His personal favorites were the ones about him being an alien from a distant planet. Technically, they weren’t that wrong. People just took it a bit too far.

“It is strange,” Clint commented. “Usually, people don’t do stuff like that for no reason. But I can’t figure out what he’s doing. Can you Nat?”

Natasha shook her head. “Nope. Haven’t seen enough to figure out anything like that.” She caught Minshun’s gaze and winked at him when no one was looking.

“I wonder if Thor and Loki coming to earth had something to do with this,” Steve wondered aloud. “I mean, he showed up right after they got back.”

“Where are those two anyway?” Natasha asked. “I’m not sure I like the thought of them running around earth unsupervised.”

“They went to Thor’s girlfriend’s house,” Tony answered. “I told them I wouldn’t allow Reindeer Games to stay in my tower, so they went there.”

“Oh yeah. Jane, right? The astronomer?”

“I don’t know. Do I look like I keep up with everyone’s relationships?”

“I don’t think Night Monkey is connected to Thor,” Clint stated, getting back onto the original topic. “Thor would have introduced him to us.”

“It could be Loki.”

“No. Not enough destruction or mayhem.”

“Fair point.”

“Whoever he is, I think he should start using his powers for good,” Steve said.

Minshun perked up at this. What did he mean by that? What was he supposed to do?

“I agree,” Clint said. “He clearly has some pretty special powers or technology. That shouldn’t just be wasted on showing off. He might not be an Avenger, but that could work for the better. He could take care of smaller issues that we aren’t notified of.”

“Exactly,” Steve said. “I hope he does something.”

“Eh. I don’t see the problem with showing off a little,” Tony said. “He can just leave the dangerous problems to the professionals.”

Minshun zoned out. What Steve was saying made sense. How had he not thought of it sooner? All he had ever wanted to do was help people. That’s what he had been striving for all along. He had even made the webbing fluid to help the Alliance, which would ultimately help people. So, why was he not using it in that way already?

There was a saying his mother repeated often. Every time he wanted to give up on training or felt like a failure, she would remind him of how much progress he had made so far. How much progress he could make if he kept going. It showed strength. It showed power. And the more he pushed forward, the more power he would get.

And she always said it was wrong to do nothing when you have the power to do something.

Now he had power. Now he had to do something.

He stood and slipped away towards his room. Once again, Natasha slipped into the elevator with him. They stood in silence for most of the ride. He could tell she was trying to figure out what to say.

Finally, she spoke. “Wear a mask. That way people won’t end up discovering your identity. That would cause more problems.”

That was it. That’s all she said. She wasn’t going to stop him.

When he was in his room, he rummaged through his drawers until he found a hoodie. Unfortunately, it was bright red. But that was all he had. He found a pair of scissors and cut two holes in the hood part. He pulled on his wrist devices and the hoodie. He tightened the hood strings so it covered his face except for the two eye holes.

As he headed out, he had no idea what he was looking for. From the things he saw on the news, he knew he would have no trouble finding something to take care of. He would know when he saw it.

He swung through the streets for an hour or so with no activity. He was starting to think he would have nothing to do when he heard a scream behind him.

Without hesitation, he sped towards the noise.

He quickly located to source. He positioned himself upside down above them so he could see. There was a young woman backed into an ally corner. In front of her stood three very large and very disdainful men. Two held clubs, but the middle one had a gun pointed at the woman’s head.

The sight appalled him. The Alliance would get rid of men like these. They were such a menace to the order of things. There was no room for such violence and insolent behavior.

He aimed his webbing and shot the man’s gun out of his hand, securing it to the wall. All the men looked around for the hidden assailant.

Silently, he dropped down. He kicked one of the clubbed men in the head. The force of the impact knocked him out before he even knew what was happening.

The man with the other club spotted him and tried to attack from behind. Minshun grabbed the wrist holding the club and twisted himself onto the man’s shoulders, wrapping his legs around the man’s throat. This caused him to drop the club as he reached for his neck. Minshun then flipped off his shoulders, dove under his legs, grabbed the club, and knocked the man out.

He spun around, anticipating the third man to attack. The man stood stock still, staring at him with wide eyes. He held up his hands and ran away as quickly as his feet would take him.

With his job done, Minshun leapt onto the wall to start climbing.

The woman called after him. “Thank you, Night Monkey. Although, you’re not well equipped for the night with that red suit. And monkeys don’t shoot sticky thread.”

“Eh,” he called over his shoulder. “I’ve always thought of it as a spider anyway.”

He climbed away, hoping the woman would tell people about the spider thing. He really didn’t like being called a monkey.

That night, he went to sleep content. He had done something good. Maybe he didn’t need the Alliance to make a difference. He could enforce its rules here just like he would have back home. He still hoped to return one day to help there, even if the likelihood of that was growing slimer by the day. But that was okay. He was finding purpose.

Just as he suspected, he saw himself on the news the next day. This time, however, it was under the title of Spiderman. He liked that name a whole lot better. He could be proud of that.

The woman he had helped was interviewed and spoke of his daring rescue. She amplified the whole situations, but that was okay. It just meant he would come across more dangerous to bad guys. That would help him later. People would give up easier if they feared him.

“I’m glad he’s finally doing something good,” Steve said when he saw the news.

“Yeah. Now we just gotta figure out why and see if there’s a pattern. And find out why he started doing it,” Clint added.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he’d listened to Cap here,” Natasha said, eyeing Minshun with a knowing glance.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Steve asked.

“Nothing. Maybe he’s just a fan of the righteous.”

Before the boy went to bed, Natasha slipped something into his hand. He hid it under his shirt. He wasn’t sure what it could be, but if she wasn’t giving it to him openly, there had to be a reason.

Once he was alone in his room, he pulled it out to examine it.

He unfolded it and found a mask. It was red, matching his hoodie. This would work much better than the crude holes he had made.

Looking closer, he found a USB drive and a note. He laid the mask and the drive down before unfolding the note.

Good job. It takes gut and skill to do that. Welcome to the team – even if we’re the only ones who know about it.  
I took the liberty of making you a better mask. This one won’t accidentally fall off. On the drive are some designs for Avengers suits. I wouldn’t recommend making something too similar, but you need something to protect you.  
I am with you. I support you and what you’re doing, but know I will stop it if it gets out of hand. Leave overly dangerous stuff to the adults. I know you can handle a lot, but don’t try and take on the world by yourself.  
Your fellow spider hero,  
Black Widow  
P.S. If you need any tips on fighting styles or weapons, I have a whole lot of tricks up my sleeve. I’d rather you come to me than try something stupid on your own and get yourself hurt.

Minshun smiled to himself as he read the note. She was with him. Maybe she wasn’t all bad. Sure, she had still tried to convince him how wrong the Alliance was. But he was now working for the ways of the Alliance, and she was calling it good. He was sure she would come around given enough time.

He was still going to be cautious and not open himself up like he had before. That wouldn’t be wise. It would take a lot more for him to truly trust her or the others again. If he ever could. But this was definitely a step in her favor.

He tried his mask on and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked awesome. This was going to be much better than the hood.

As he looked at it, he saw the way the thread lines formed a pattern. He began to think. If he was to make a suit, it would have to have an overall theme. Before he completed it, he was sure he would go out many times with this hood. That meant he would be associated with red.

A red spider.

He could make a webbing pattern on his suit. That would look awesome. He could also add more tech with a suit. He could give himself sensors and enhanced senses. He could add shock absorbers to make hard jumps and any hits he received less jarring. 

His mind was racing with ideas as he curled into bed. This was going to be great. He couldn’t wait to put everything together. He could make a difference.

He was glad he was Spiderman.


	22. Chapter 22: More Freedom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MJ is on the scene! Yay! She is like my favorite character... besides Peter, of course. I just love her personality and sense of humor.
> 
> For reference, I imagine him the the black and red suit at the end of Far From Home, just in case anyone wanted a specific suit to visualize. I know there are a ton out there.
> 
> Anyway, have fun reading!

“Hey, Peter. Come here a second.”

Minshun clicked off the screen on his computer. He had been working on his designs for the Spiderman suit. It was coming along well. Designing and making it would be the easy part. It was getting all those materials without Tony asking about them that would be hard. He was sure he’d find a way though. He had to.

He stood and walked over to Bruce. The man was fidgeting awkwardly with some device. Minshun wondered if he needed help fixing it or something.

“Okay. I’ve seen you are really into the whole art thing, and I’m glad you’ve found something new that you like and are good at.”

He was right. Minshun had thrived in the art class. It was so relaxing. He often needed that, especially with the nights he had. And he couldn’t spend all his time doing Spiderman related things. Especially when other people were around.

“Anyway,” the man continued. “I was never good at making pictures, but I always enjoyed taking them. I thought you might like that as well, so I got you this.”

He held out the device. It was a rectangle with buttons on one side and a cylinder protruding from the other. Minshun couldn’t imagine how this thing would take pictures. It was nothing like the large scanners that copied images back on Camolia.

Bruce seemed to catch onto his confusion as he quickly explained. “You look through this part here and then hit this button to take a picture of what you see. I thought you might like to use it. That way, you can capture images or moments that pass to quickly to draw. You could even draw them later.”

Minshun took the device slowly. That was actually very nice of the man. And very unexpected.

“Thanks,” he said.

“No problem. Well, I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing.” Bruce turned and walked out of the room.

Minshun looked at the camera in his hands. He was grateful for the gift but didn’t know where he was supposed to use it. The contents of this tower were nothing he would draw. Maybe the outside of the tower, but he would have to be….

He could take pictures when he went out as Spiderman. He could see all kinds of things as he swung through the streets. Things that passed so quickly as he flew through the air that there was no way to commit it to memory.

But before he could do that, he would have to finish his suit.

He walked back to his desk to continue his work.

His favorite part about his suit was the colorful, elaborate design. On Camolia, all fighting attire was very plain. It looked uniform. It was functional. But here on earth, Minshun had noticed some outlandish flourishes when it came to clothing. Even some the Avengers’ suits were wild. He wasn’t sure how bright red or blue would be of any use when trying to sneak up on someone.

He decided to have some fun with his design. He wasn’t going to make it too wild. But he was already associated with the heroes by default, so why not look like one.

He decided to keep the red and black theme. He would have a webbing pattern across the suit connecting to a spider in the front and back. He wanted it to be very clear he was a spider, not a monkey. Besides, it seemed a fitting tribute to his eight-legged friend who started the whole process.

His eyepieces were going to be advanced visors. They would have scanners and sensors and show him a screen of information. It would be similar to the controls for a ship. They would help him see much better than the human eye could.

His boots would have a nice treading that helped him stick. His hands were always fine due to his sticky gloves, but his feet often slipped. This would fix that problem. He noticed most of the hero suit designs Natasha had given him included some form of magnetic locking tech. It must be useful. He decided to add that on his too, just to be safe.

His suit would be composed of a very stretchy material. He had found certain clothing hindered his movement, and he didn’t want that to happen with his suit. The threading was connected in an intricate overlapping pattern. This would help deflect forces and objects hitting him. And there was a layer of insulated, shock absorbent padding underneath.

Lastly, he decided to upgrade his wrist devices. He should really give them a better name than that. How about web shooters. That’s what their main function was now.

His web shooters would now be able to send electrical currents through webbing. It could also store more web fluid than before.

Now, he just had to gather the materials and make it. Without anyone noticing. Except maybe Natasha. She could help. 

He chose to ask her for any advice on getting them. When he did, she told him she had been wanting to make some adjustments to her own outfit for a while. She was going to tell Tony she was ordering some things and then throw anything Minshun needed onto the list. That way no one should notice.

He was grateful for the help. He always hated asking for help. It made him feel weak. He didn’t like that. But he knew it was necessary and was ultimately grateful for the assistance. Even if Natasha wasn’t exactly for the Alliance and its ways, she was still helping him. She and Bruce. He was glad he had them.

Soon enough, he was able to start making the spider hero suit. It took much longer than he would have wished. He could only work on it when no one was around. Bruce was in the room with him for the majority of the day. Tony would be in the lab whenever he finished with his schooling. That left brief windows very early in the morning, leaving very little time. He often went out in the old hoodie and mask before it was done.

He started training more with Natasha, Clint, and Steve. Since he was fighting people, he might as well train with people. Natasha knew why he was doing it, but the two men just thought he was adapting. They were very excited over this. Minshun played along like he always did, usually watching an amused and knowing Natasha shake her head in the background.

His training was paying off. He was getting faster. He could easily run at the treadmill’s fastest setting for a considerable amount of time. He also started lifting weights with Steve. Apparently, the boy had advanced strength too, so only Steve’s weights worked to build muscle. He could see and feel the gradual changes to his body. His strength and endurance were impressive. It made swinging around and flipping through the air for extended periods much easier.

During the evenings when he sat with everyone, he started playing a strategy game with Bruce. It was called chess. He really enjoyed this. He had always been great at strategy games. From a young age, he was beating people older than him. He always knew his brain would be his greatest asset.

Bruce kept trying to convince Minshun to play with Tony. Apparently, the two genius men played each other all the time.

Minshun refused. He was still mad at Tony and Pepper. He knew he shouldn’t be holding a grudge as much as he was. The Alliance always taught that grudges led to wars. He didn’t want a war. But he couldn’t let it go.

They had hurt him. He had opened up and trusted them so deeply. And then they broke his heart and ripped away his hope, admitting they had been lying to him the whole time. That was unacceptable.

By now, he had accepted he wasn’t going home. Now, unlike everyone thought, that did not mean he accepted this place as his new home. No way. Camolia would always be his home, and his people would always be there.

Here, he was more like a prisoner of war. He had read about a place called Alcatraz Island. The prisoners there were thought to have no way of possible escape. Apparently, some people had managed to do so, but that wasn’t the point. This building was his Alcatraz. He didn’t want to be here, but he had no way out. Well, besides living on the streets. But he decided this was the better option.

His limited options were all the more reason for him to go out as Spiderman. It was his one way to be free. It was the only thing keeping him from losing his mind at the thought of never getting away from here.

At last, he finally completed his suit. He was so excited to try it out. The thought of having to wait until nightfall was dreadful, but he had no other option.

Or so he thought.

There was some emergency at SHIELD, and the Avengers were called in. And Pepper was busy with her work. That meant there was no one around to notice he wasn’t there.

Preparing to head out, he gathered everything he would need. At the last second, he grabbed his camera. Might as well test that out too. He tossed everything into a bookbag and slung it over his shoulder. He didn’t want to go swinging out of the tower in broad daylight. That would surely get on the news. That would be bad. Then everyone would know Spiderman lived with the Avengers. It was better to go out in a not bright-red suit to at least try and go unnoticed. So, he carefully climbed down the building and ran into an ally to change.

The suit felt amazing. It looked amazing. Minshun could barely contain himself as he hid the bag with his spare clothes and sprung out into the city.

He whooped at the freeing feeling that rushed through him. This would never get old. People were pointing at him, cheering in delight at finally seeing the hero out of the cover of night. Their adoration of him made it all the more enjoyable.

He swung around for some time, going farther out than ever before. On the way, he halted two robberies and broke up a gang fight. He thought he was making good work.

When he got tired, he decided to rest. In the distance, he saw a luscious and lively park. That would be a good place for pictures. He swung to the building across from the entrance and plopped himself down on the roof.

He pulled the camera out of a hidden pocket. It was harder to manage than he had expected, although that might have been partly due to his suit. It was strange looking though his visor and the camera, but he couldn’t risk taking off the mask.

As he was adjusting the device to his liking, he heard a call from below.

“Hey, look! It’s the spider guy from the news! Hey, Spiderguy!”

Minshun looked over the edge and saw a man and his friend looking up at him and waving. He waved back. “Call me Spiderman!” he called down. He didn’t want them to get the wrong name out there. Spiderman sounded much better than Spiderguy.

“Okay, Spiderman!” The man called back.

His friend beside him leaned in and whispered something. They seemed to have a quick discussion before the man called. “Hey! Do a flip, Spiderman!”

That was a strange request, but why not. He put the camera down and did a backflip. A small crowd that had been accumulating below clapped.

He didn’t like how much attention he was getting. He didn’t want to take pictures of people staring at him. He waved to the crowd and swung away with his camera in hand. He made a large circle and ended up back on the same roof. This time, he was more careful not to be seen.

He sat there for quite a while, enjoying the peace and the view. He took lots of pictures. Some were of happy families. Their smiles and joy was so precious that he didn’t want to forget them. There were some kids playing on an odd, metal training course. They were not being very efficient, but none of the adults seemed to mind. The kids were having fun, so the parents were happy. There were people running. There was a group of people doing a strange form of training. It looked like fighting practice, but it was very slow, and no one touched each other. He would have to ask Natasha about it. There were also a lot of people with dogs. At least he assumed they were dogs. He had only seen the animals in pictures, and there were so many types it was hard to tell. The animals and people always seemed happy together. Minshun decided he liked dogs.

As he was surveying the park one last time before leaving, someone caught his eye.

There was a beautiful girl sitting on a bench, face planted in a very large book. Her curly hair was pulled partially back, a few stray pieces blowing in the wind. She looked his age. He hadn’t seen a girl his age before. Not in person, at least. She had this strange aura about her. He couldn’t place why, but it was alluring. Her face showed she was deep in thought over what she was reading.

Minshun couldn’t help himself. He snapped a picture of the girl.

Immediately, the girl looked up from her book. She started searching in his direction. That’s when he realized he had accidentally turned the flash on for his camera. Shoot. Well, it was broad daylight, and he was fairly well hidden from her point of view, so she probably wouldn’t be able to find….

She looked directly into the camera. She had found him. Minshun froze. Was she going to be mad?

The girl made a face of confusion, then amusement. She squinted at him, a smirk growing across her face. She nodded at him in greeting, held up her hand, and stuck up one finger at him. Then, she turned back to her book.

What was that supposed to mean? Was that a greeting? If so, why had he never seen any of the Avengers use that finger? Maybe it was only when someone was far away. Or maybe she hadn’t liked her privacy being invaded and she was sending him a greeting of annoyance.

Whatever. He would ask JARVIS later.

He shoved his camera into his pocket and took off towards the distant tower. On the way, he stopped a bike thief. When he made it back to the ally, he quickly changed it his clothes and scrambled to the tower. He waited until no one was looking and leapt onto the building, starting his ascent.

He had just made it into his room and thrown his suit under the bed when Tony Stark opened his door.

“Hey, Pete. Just wanted to let you know we’re back. How are you doing? Everything go well by yourself?”

Minshun hid his hands behind his back so the man didn’t see his web shooters. “Fine. Nothing new.”

“Well, that can be a good thing. Especially around here,” the man replied.

The boy shrugged indifferently. He still didn’t want to talk to Tony unless absolutely necessary.

Tony stood awkwardly for a moment. He clearly wanted to say or do something more, but he didn’t know what. Eventually, he said, “Well, I’ll leave you be.” He closed the door behind him.

Minshun sighed and flopped onto the bed. That had been close. If he had stayed away just a few more second, he could have been screwed. Next time, he would have to be more cautious.

Because there was definitely going to be a next time.


	23. Chapter 23: Leaping Into Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's about to go down guys! There's a lot thrown at our boy in this chapter, and he still doesn't know the whole story.
> 
> Also, yes. I know. They are talking in the middle of a battle. Stereotypical and not a good move. But they had to wait for everyone to get together so they could board the ship, okay.
> 
> WARNING: Minor character death. Not too graphic - at least not to me. There is blood though. Just giving a heads up for everyone to be prepared for that.

Minshun woke to the sound of blaring alarms.

“JARVIS? What’s happening?”

“Six unidentified ships dropped out of hyperspace and are orbiting earth. They are invading the planet’s surface.”

Ships? In orbit? Coming to the planet? No. It couldn’t be.

“Whose ships are they?”

“I have not encountered anything like them before, but based on description, they appear to be Camolian.”

This couldn’t be happening. They had found him. They had finally found him. And they were coming for him. He would get out of this place. He never should have doubted them. Everything would be okay. He would go home and start working for the Alliance again. He would show them everything he had made and learned. They would be proud of him. Maybe even promote him. And he would get to see his friends and family again.

Minshun dashed out of bed and towards the door. In his excitement, he failed to notice that the door didn’t open. He faceplanted into it, causing him to stumble backwards.

“JARVIS! Open the door!”

“I am not permitted to do so. When the ships arrived, Tony initiated training wheels protocol.”

“He did what?”

“The training wheels protocol keeps you contained in one room. It limits your connection to any technology. It….”

He couldn’t believe this. He was fuming. For Tony’s sake, he hoped to never see the man again.

He had to get out of here. But how? He couldn’t leave the room, much less the building. Maybe his people could find him here, but he didn’t want to wait for that to happen. It wouldn’t be as simple to find him with so many other humans around. He looked around the room, searching for an escape.

His eyes locked onto the window. He could break out. He would be fine if he used his webshooters to keep himself from a dead fall. He quickly pulled on the devices and walked to the far wall. He bounced on his feet as he prepared himself. With all of his effort, he rushed forward. At the last moment, he turned so his shoulder would break the window.

He felt glass shatter around him, littering his body in many small cuts. Then, he was falling. He was speeding towards the ground headfirst.

He turned his body and shot at the building above him, pulling himself onto it. He then backflipped to the ground. He rolled on his shoulder as he landed, finishing in a sprinting stance. Immediately, he took off even though he had no clue where he was going.

It didn’t take long to locate his destination. He could see and hear a great commotion a few streets down. He rushed towards the scene. As he neared, he saw his people. Oh, what a glorious sight. They were fighting the Avengers. How dare those supposed heroes be fighting his people.

He grew nearer to the commotion, watching the action unfold and trying to figure out what to do about it. He saw a soldier near the edge of the fighting turn around, and his heart soared.

“Hisha!” he cried, running towards her.

She looked up and ran to him. Instead of addressing him, she hit her communicator. “I’ve found him. All search teams can halt and return to fight.”

“I knew you would come for me,” Minshun said. “I mean, I had been starting to wonder, but deep down I knew.”

“We need to get you out of here,” Hisha said. 

She was very serious. He understood it was a very serious situation, but he thought she would have shown a tiny bit more expression. Not much. They were on the battlefield surrounded by other soldiers. But this wasn’t right. Something was wrong. Something more than just the fighting.

“What’s wrong?”

Hisha laughed, but it wasn’t the good kind. “What’s wrong? More like what isn’t.”

“What do you mean?” He was starting to panic internally. “And where’s the rest of the team?”

“Dead. From the revolution.”

Minshun felt like he had been shot in the chest. His team was gone? All of them? 

“What revolution?” he asked.

“The one your mother created. Over you.”

Minshun spluttered in confusion. He was slipping into shock. This wasn’t how his rescue was supposed to go. Everything should be returning to normal. This wasn’t normal. This was worse than normal.

“I… I don’t understand.”

Hisha grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the fighting zone so they could talk. “She was crushed when she heard you were lost. She became active once more in the Alliance in hopes of helping to find you. But they never started looking. They said you were an experiment and you were expendable.”

“An experiment?” 

didn’t make any sense. He was a soldier just like everyone else. He understood he was expendable. Everyone was. But how had he been an experiment? And if they hadn’t started looking for him, how were they here now?

“That’s what your mother found out when she was digging around the base. Think about it. Why would they keep a human and train him to be one of them? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“They did that because they saw potential in me. They knew I could be useful.”

“No. They did it because you weren’t useful. You couldn’t fit in. And there were so many like you that were the same way. They wanted to see if they could turn you into one of them. And I don’t mean through training.”

Minshun started to get dizzy. He leaned against the wall to prevent himself from falling. This couldn’t be right. That couldn’t be the reason. The Alliance had favored him. They were proud of him for being him….

After the examinations and injections started.

Things started to click together in his mind. His sudden ability to keep up with the Camolians. His apparent unnatural human skills. They weren’t an accident. They weren’t a side effect of his hard work. They hadn’t cured him of some sickness. They made him an experiment. They had been trying to turn him into a Camolian. Literally.

“They gave you injections to alter your genetic makeup,” Hisha continued. “The humans were of no use to the Alliance, but they were so plentiful they couldn’t be overlooked. So, they tested to see if they could transform this large supply of people into a source of soldiers for the Alliance. To them, you were a failed experiment. A very impressive one, but a failure none the less. That’s why we were sent to that planet even though we weren’t ready. They had been waiting for the opportune moment to send you to your death. Then, they could start over and try on another human child.”

Minshun slid to the ground. His world was collapsing in on itself. He was supposed to be dead? He was a failure? Was that why he had been given such a hard time for so long? Because they knew he wasn’t going to make it? He couldn’t believe this.

“Then why did they come for me now?” he questioned. “And what does this have to do with Chacksli and the others dying in a revolution with my mother?”

“I was getting there. Your mother found out about the experimentation and how they had been trying to kill you off. She was enraged. She left the Alliance and started outing other lies the Alliance had been hiding.”

“Like what?”

“You know how anyone who defies the Alliance is gotten rid of and the rest live in peace?”

Minshun nodded.

“It’s a lie. They are killed. And those left alive live in fear as slaves to the Alliance. There is no peace. They simply live in forced submission.”

Minshun shook his head, grasping it in his hands. This was all wrong. Killing was wrong. Slavery was wrong. That was horrible. That was the work of the evil. That couldn’t be true. The Alliance was the good guys. They couldn’t be that horrible.

Hisha continued. “Your mother stole proof when she left. She started showing it around as she spoke out. That’s how the rebellion started. Right from the start, the entire Visi tribe rose up with her. They didn’t think it was right that one of their own had been treated like that. Slowly, members of the other tribes started sharing her distaste of the Alliance and its ways. The Alliance realized they were a threat. That’s when the killing started.”

Hisha paused as if she didn’t want to continue. As if she knew it would send him over the edge. But she had to give him closure. “Your mother is dead, Minshun. As well as the whole Visi tribe.”

Minshun felt like he couldn’t breathe. This couldn’t be happening. This wasn’t right. None of this was right. Surely, this was a dream. A really bad, sick dream. He would wake up, and none of it would be real. 

Yet he knew that wouldn’t happen. This was real. This horrible truth was real.

“That’s when it was all out war. Every non soldier started attacking the Alliance. A good number of Alliance soldiers deserted and joined the rebels. Chacksli was one of them. Commander Harshun deserted as well. He had always seemed fond of you. He helped organize better attacks. Our numbers decreased rapidly. Soon we were orchestrating counter attacks. That’s when Jarnum and Morsa were killed. Everything got worse from there. By now, about a third of the Camolian population has been killed.”

Minshun didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t process what was happening.

“Soon, the residents of planets under the Alliance’s control started rebelling. The Alliance knew it had to do something. It had to get someone to unite everyone and bring everything under control. They realized you were the best option. If people saw you were alive, they could be persuaded that the rebels were lying. And the humans would unite under you. You could become the new head of the Alliance, reforming it. So, ships were sent to that planet to retrieve you, but you weren’t there. There was another huge battle, but the Alliance managed to capture one of the native soldiers. They extracted out of him your location. That’s why we’re here. To retrieve you.”

Minshun looked up at her. “And you support this? You want me to be a leader? I can’t be a leader like that.”

“Well, you’ll have to be. I don’t support what the Alliance is doing, but I do believe in peace. And if you can bring that, you have to try.”

Minshun shook his head. “But I can’t. I’m not made for this. Everyone knows it. They’ve said it my whole life.”

“Then how did you become a Captain. Look. You’ve said it yourself for years. Your mind and your strategies get you to the top. Well, now we need your mind and strategies. So come on.”

She grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. Minshun was in shock, so he didn’t resist. She dragged him towards the chaos. He became vaguely aware that he heard familiar voices. They were screaming for Peter…. For him. It had to be the Avengers.

He yanked himself free of Hisha’s grasp as everything clicked into place in his mind.

They had called it. They had told him the Alliance was bad and tried to convince him to leave it behind. He had resisted. They had been right, and he had gotten mad at them.

Standing there, his world crashing down around him both physically and mentally, he knew he wanted to stay here. With them. He had been doing good here as Spiderman. And now that he knew the Avengers were right, he had to apologize. He didn’t need to hate them and shut them out anymore. They had been on his side all along. They were the good guys.

“No. I’m not going,” he said, planting himself to the ground beneath him with his whole foot.

Hisha glared at him. “What did you say?” she yelled. “Did you not hear anything I just said? Look.” She pointed to the fighting. “Look at this. You can stop this. But you have to come with me. We’ll be transported any minute now.”

“No. I won’t.” He paused, the reality of the words he was about to say hitting him. “The Alliance has to fall. This war has to run its course. Only then can there be peace and freedom. Only then can everything be good.”

Hisha stomped towards him. “Listen here. I will take you by force if I have to. You are going to….”

There was a shot from behind him, and Hisha crashed to her knees. Blood started pouring out of her chest, and she collapsed to the ground. Blood pooled around her lifeless body.

Minshun stared in horror. She was dead. He had just watched his best friend die. Everyone he cared about was dead. His whole way of life was dead. His home was dead. Nothing would ever be the same.

A SWAT agent grabbed him by the shoulder. He was telling the boy something, pointing away from the fighting. Minshun couldn’t hear what he was saying. His ears were ringing, and his brain felt non-existent.

He started running in the direction the man had pointed. He wasn’t sure if that’s what he had been told to do, but he didn’t care. He needed to get out of there. Get away from everything. He couldn’t handle it anymore.

He ran. As fast and far as he could go, he ran. He had no idea where he was going. He didn’t care. He just needed to run.

He finally collapsed onto a bench off the side of a road. He couldn’t breathe, and his heart was about to explode. He pulled himself into a sitting position as he tried to calm himself. It didn’t work. He stood up and started running again. He repeated this process time and time again until he felt like he would surely die.

At last, he sat there, emotionless, head leaned back as he gasped for air. 

The only thing he could think of clearly was how he should have just died on Asgard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick question:   
> I've thought about writing a story connected to this one from a Camolian's perspective. Possibly Hisha. Or maybe a specific general who plays a vital role. Basically just a Camolian who knows what's going on on the other side of the galaxy. Does that sound interesting? Would anybody read that? It wouldn't be anywhere near as long as this story, and it clearly won't involve the Avengers and all that. It would be like an all original story for the most part. I thought it might be cool. Especially with some of the stuff that comes up later in this story.
> 
> Anyway, let me know what you think. I'm genuinely curious. Sound worth reading, or a big no go?


	24. Chapter 24: Not Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Natasha's speech... I couldn't help but use direct quotes from various movies. They all seemed so fitting. She knows just what he needs at that moment.
> 
> And finally a breakthrough in the Stark family. Yay.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

Minshun felt the bench bend beneath him as someone sat down.

He didn’t look to see who it was. He didn’t even care. He didn’t have the energy or the mental capacity to care. In fact, he wasn’t sure he wanted to care. That would mean he was feeling something. Right now, he was scared to feel. He didn’t know what he would feel. What he should feel. But he knew it would be far from pleasant.

“I gotta say I’m impressed. I’ve never even seen Cap run that far that fast.”

He turned his head slightly to see Natasha sitting beside him. She was looking at him. Analyzing him. He wondered what she would find in him. He was sure she would find out more than he knew himself.

They sat in silence for a while. Natasha was waiting on him to say something. She wasn’t going to push him into opening up. She knew he had to process everything on his own. She wasn’t going to rush that process.

Minshun’s mind was finally starting to work again, and he didn’t like it.

As he sat there with his eyes closed, he thought of all the people who were dead. Dead because of him. It was crazy to think that, but it was true. And he had just sentenced so many more people to death by not going with the Camolians.

Speaking of which….

“Are they gone?”

“Yeah. For now, at least.”

“Good. I’m glad.”

He couldn’t believe that he was so glad his people had left. Although, they weren’t really his people now, where they? Still. Just that morning he had been thrilled at the prospect of seeing them and returning to Camolia. Now, he was relieved they were gone.

“How many casualties? Fatalities?” 

He knew better than to ask if everyone was okay. He had been through enough training and knew enough about war to know people weren’t okay. He wasn’t okay, and he hadn’t even fought.

“It’s too early to tell about civilians. There are quite a lot. Hospitals will be flooded for a little while. Clint and Steve were in bad shape and are in the tower’s medical bay. The newest Ironman suit was practically demolished, but Tony got out without any severe injuries.”

“That’s good.”

Silence.

For once, Minshun couldn’t stand the silence. His brain was playing that horrid shot on repeat. Hisha falling to the ground was engrained into his eyelids, and he had nothing to distract him from it. It made him want to throw up.

“How did you find me if you couldn’t keep up with me?”

“I took a car. I saw which direction you headed in, and I just kept going the way I thought your instinct would take you.”

“Oh.”

Silence.

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be recovering yourself? Or with the others?”

“I didn’t want you to be alone.”

Dreadful silence.

His thoughts were expanding. Now he was seeing the whole fight. All those people fighting and dying. He visualized the Avengers getting hurt because of him. They should never have brought him here. He was just bringing pain to them.

He had misjudged them. They were right. They were good guys. They knew what was best. Yes, they had been lying. They probably knew that the Camolians were looking for him. He recalled the emergency they had left because of. It was probably the attack on Asgard in search of him. They had been trying to keep him hidden. Keep him safe. Shield him from this life.

They had said over and over he was too young for this. He had been so mad at them for it, thinking he was high and mighty. But he wasn’t. He was just a worthless kid who had a bunch of faulty test drugs pumped into his system until he wasn’t really human. He wasn’t anything.

“Why would you keep fighting for me? Trying to show me that you were right, and the Alliance was wrong? Why didn’t you give up on me?”

“It wasn’t your fault. We don’t leave our own when they aren’t in control of their mind.”

One of their own. They still thought of him as one of their own. They were his people, and he was theirs. He hadn’t seen it before, but he was. He was a misfit. He was broken. But he was accepted there.

But why? His mind filled with all the things he had done for the Alliance. He was a liar. He was a manipulator. He was a killer. By this point, how many people had died because of him? How many would continue to die? He was a monster. He had done horrible things. He didn’t deserve to fit in. These people couldn’t have done anything bad like him.

Minshun felt his eyes watering. “You should just leave me. I’m a horrible person. I don’t want to taint you. I don’t want to cause you pain.”

“If you’re so horrible, why do you save people in your spare time?”

“That’s different.”

“How so?”

“I was just wanting to get out. And I was doing what I thought the Alliance would do?”

“I don’t think so.”

He snorted. “Oh really?”

“Have you ever seen the Alliance do anything like that?” she questioned.

He thought of all the things Hisha had told him. “No. No, they never did anything like that.”

“And yet you still thought of that as the right thing to do. That’s what counts. Your past doesn’t define you. It’s what you choose to do from now on that matters.”

“Is that why you joined the Avengers? To do the right thing?”

“Something like that.” She turned her face away from him. “I too have red in my ledger, and I’m trying to get it out.”

“But you can’t have done stuff like I did.”

Natasha chuckled sullenly. “You’d be surprised.” She hung her head. “I used to have nothing. And then I got this. This job. This family. And I became better because of it.” She turned to him. “You can be too. You’re already getting there. You just have to keep pushing forward. Even when it’s hard.”

“Do you think everyone else will feel the same way?”

She smiled at him sadly. “I know it.”

Silence.

His mind started racing once again. He was hearing screams. Seeing people’s unnecessary deaths. He grasped his head as it started overwhelming him. He was trying to push his emotions back. He didn’t want to feel it yet. He knew it would be bad.

He wanted it to stop, but he knew it wouldn’t. And it shouldn’t. He should always be reminded of what he had done. If he didn’t, he would never learn. He would never get better. And he wanted to get better. He made a promise to himself to help people from now on. He would bring real peace. He would learn from the Avengers. He would learn to be good. He would get better. Just as Natasha had said, he would wipe away the red.

But before he could do that, he had to apologize. He had been so hateful towards everyone for trying to show him the truth. Especially Tony and Pepper.

He stood up. “I need to get back.” He prepared to run, but Natasha stopped him.

“I think you’ve done enough of that for one day. Ride with me.”

They rode to the tower in silence. Minshun was still seeing the flashes of the pain and death engraved into his very soul. There was so much blood on his hands. It would take a lot from Spiderman to set it all straight.

He felt the pain, grief, and anger threatening to surge out of him, but he forced it back. He couldn’t deal with that now. He had to keep his head straight. He wanted to be presentable here with Natasha and as he apologized to the Starks.

Once in the tower, Natasha tried to take him to the med bay, but he refused. He insisted on seeing Tony and Pepper first. The thought of how he had treated them made him feel sick. He wanted to set things right with those extraordinary people who had been trying to show him the truth as quickly as possible.

JARVIS took him to their floor. Apparently, they were in their room. He couldn’t blame them. It had been a tiring day. He was exhausted himself.

As he walked to the door, his heart started pounding. What if they didn’t forgive him? He wouldn’t blame them. Then, he would have to live all alone. He wouldn’t know what to do. He could survive all sorts of dangerous terrains, but he didn’t know how to navigate the city. He would be screwed. But he had to talk to them. He just had to.

He heard them talking. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but they were clearly distressed. The self-preservation part of his brain told him to talk to them later. Them being emotional would only make the whole situation worse. But he pushed his fear aside. There was never going to be a good time.

Trying to make himself more presentable, he puffed out his chest and held his head high. He put on his young soldier façade. He stepped forward and walked through the door.

He saw the couple sitting on the bed. Both were on the verge of tears. Silently, they looked at him. Their eyes were full of sadness… and yet so much affection.

And that look broke his heart. All the emotions he had pushed back flooded through him. He lost control of his mind. As his rational side fell away, he had the strong instinct to be held, just like his mother would have done. His dead mother. But his living mother was right there, looking at him in love.

He ran to the bed and dove between the two adults. Immediately, they were wrapping their arms around him. He sobbed. Just like he had done on the roof the last time he had been this emotional. But this time, he wanted them here. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

He poured his heart out as he wept. He sounded like a child, but he didn’t care. In that moment, he was one.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I should have listened. I’m such a bad person. The Alliance was bad, and you were right. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I don’t want to be bad. I never wanted to be bad. But I was. And I was bad to you. I don’t want to be bad to you. Please don’t be mad at me. I don’t deserve it, but I want to stay with you. I don’t want to leave anymore. Please don’t make me leave. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

As he cried, they cried with them. They told him it wasn’t his fault. They would never leave him. They loved him. They wanted him to stay.

“I’m sorry,” Tony said. “This isn’t all on you. I should have listened more to what you needed, not what I wanted to give you. I was insensitive. I was… I was like my father. And that’s on me.”

“And I’m sorry I lied,” Pepper confessed. “I know that hurt you, but I really wanted to protect you. I know this doesn’t make everything magically better, but I hope we can all get past this. Together.”

"Exactly. Together. You're not alone, kiddo."

Minshun ran out of tears and just laid there with them. All three were wrapped in each other’s embrace. He never wanted to let go.

Lying there with them, he felt the effects of the day catch up to him. Curling farther into the adults’ arms, he drifted to sleep.


	25. Chapter 25: Changing the Norm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is sort of like a transition chapter. As Peter/Minshun is learning his place on earth, he grows more comfortable everyone. He also learns - as the title says - to be human. Therefore, his mentality changes. That means the tone of the story will shift somewhat. Near the end, it switches back to soldier mode, but that's pretty far down the road. 
> 
> I just thought I would let everyone know if he starts to seem different in this and upcoming chapters, that's because it's intentional. He's becoming Peter, not Minshun.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like it!

“How are you still standing?” Steve panted as he flopped onto the couch.

Smirking, Minshun walked over to him and handed him a water. The two had been out for a forty-mile-long run. At the final mile, Minshun declared it a race and sprinted to the tower. Needless to say, he had left a worn-out Steve behind.

“Face it, old man,” Tony called from across the room. “My kid’s just better than you are.”

“Is that so?” Steve asked in amusement.

“Yes. Yes, it is.”

Minshun smiled at the comment. He was glad Tony was proud of him. It felt natural now. He had been growing closer to everyone here at the tower. It was hard sometimes. He was so used to shutting people out that it often took conscious effort to open up. But he was working on it.

Everyone was helping him in their own way. He felt most connected with Natasha. She had explained snippets of her past to him, and he had been shocked. He would have never thought she could have been such a ruthless assassin. But she had changed and become an Avenger. And now, he could too. Once everyone figured out he was Spiderman, of course.

He was still hiding it from everyone. He wanted to keep that one part of him to himself. It was sacred. It was a way for him to rebuild himself. To become a good person. He had thought he was doing good under people for so long. Now, he wanted to do good by himself so he knew it was right.

He asked the Avengers a lot of moral questions. He liked asking Tony and Pepper, but they weren’t always around. Sometimes, they would get awkward with whatever he asked. He was always scared they would be offended or see him as a monster and send him away. But they didn’t. They still loved him. Although, Tony would send him to Steve for an answer.

“How do you know if you’re doing something good?” he asked one time. “Like, you might think you’re doing something good, but you’re actually hurting people. But sometimes, people will get hurt either way. So how do you know what the right thing to do is?”

He had been bothered by this thought a lot. He had thought he was doing good with the Alliance, but he hadn’t. Everyone insisted it wasn’t his fault. That he had been wanting to do the right thing, so he wasn’t bad. But he was worried he was making the same mistake as Spiderman.

He would web people, fight them, knock them out. None of those were nice things. But if he didn’t, other people would be hurt by them. So, what was the right call? Should he hurt people to help others? Or should he let things happen, like he was doing with the whole Alliance situation? That was another thing he was in a moral quandary over.

Steve furrowed his brow in thought. “That’s a really complicated question.”

“That’s what Tony said. He said I should come ask you.”

Steve chuckled. “I bet he did.”

There was a long pause as Steve thought. Minshun waited patiently. He needed an answer. Finally, Steve responded.

“Well, you seem to have a clear understanding of right and wrong. You know hurting people is bad. When you watch the news with us, you can pick out the cruel things people are doing. No matter how they feel, those are unjust actions. They should be stopped. But, if you are defending yourself or someone else against those people, then that’s okay. Now, you can’t resort to their immoral means to stop them. It has to be done in a good way. But there is nothing wrong with stopping people in a just and righteous way. Does that make sense?”

Minshun nodded.

That made him feel a bit better. He was stopping people, but he wasn’t being mean about it. He was doing it to defend the defenseless. To look out for the little guys. As long as he didn’t resort to immoral means, he would continue to do good.

But that didn’t fix his whole Alliance ordeal.

“But what if you know you can help a lot of people and change things so they aren’t immoral, but you have to go with bad people to do it? Would it be worth saving all those people from harm? I mean, you could change things later so it was all a good thing.”

Steve stared at him intently. “You made the right call, Peter. You shouldn’t have gone with the Camolians. They would force you to do very bad things, and that would mess with your mind. It is much harder to turn away from that path than it is to step onto it. The best choice was to let everyone else work it out on their own. At that point, it is better to keep your own morals than to throw them away and attempt to save someone else’s.”

Dang. How were these people so good at reading into him? Was he that obvious? It was a wonder they didn’t know about him being Spiderman.

Minshun continued his schooling with Bruce. He was starting to enjoy it. Now that he had accepted his place on earth, he saw the benefit and necessity of it. Bruce said he was making great progress. Apparently, there were different levels of schooling. It must have been like a rank thing in the military. But for kids. And with school levels. He had been far behind where he should have been, but he was catching up.

Math and science were still his best subjects by far. But he was no longer a terrible writer. At least, he was writing in a more interesting and smooth fashion. It was no longer mundane reports like he had done for the Alliance.

His art continued to progress as well. He found himself turning to it more now. He had expanded his horizons and drew things beside his childhood planet. He was sketching places from earth and even his imagination.

The piece he was most proud of was his drawing of that girl in the park. She had captivated him. He often returned to that park on his night patrols, hoping she would somehow be there. She never was. He couldn’t blame her. The streets weren’t safe at night.

As time went on, Pepper approached him with the option of going away to school. She thought it would be good for him to get out and meet normal kids his age. He wasn’t sure about that. He would much rather stay here with Bruce. But he told her he would think about it just to please her.

Minshun continued his training. He had stopped briefly. He didn’t see the point since he wasn’t going back to the Alliance. Then, his performance as Spiderman started declining, and he realized the importance of it.

He continued to upgrade his suit and webshooters. He wanted to be the absolute best he could be. Maybe not for the Alliance, but for Spiderman. He had enhanced speed, enhanced strength, and enhanced sight. But he wanted his enhanced hearing.

He worked over and over, redesigning his earpieces and trying to fix the problem with them. But it never worked. It was either too much noise or too little. They were of no use to him.

Eventually, he approached Tony for help. He told him the problem and asked if he had any solutions. The man excitedly took his designs, saying he would look them over and get back to him on them. Based on Tony’s reaction, Minshun wasn’t sure if he would ever see those designs again. It would be worth it if the man fixed the problem.

Which he did. Tony tried to explain to him what was wrong, but he was so excited over his discovery that Minshun couldn’t keep up. He just nodded his head and hoped the man would work with him at a slower pace.

He really enjoyed working with Tony. He had forgotten how great it had felt in the beginning. It felt like he belonged there in that lab with him. It was his home. His calling. His passion. He wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Tony seemed to think he was a genius. Every time the man praised him, Minshun felt his chest swell with pride. Tony was a top-notch genius himself, so it was a great compliment. 

The inventor started letting the boy help him on some of his own work. He said it always helped to have a second opinion. It was easier for someone else to find flaws in something you created. Minshun knew this was true, but he also knew JARVIS or Bruce could do the same thing, probably to a much better standard. Tony was just wanting to spend more time with him, which he wasn’t opposed to.

Tony, Pepper, and Minshun got closer. Minshun loved it. He had never felt so cared for in his life. It just felt right. 

At times, he missed his old mother. Waves of grief would hit him at random moments. But he knew that was behind him. This new life was better. He wasn’t being turned into someone he wasn’t. He was able to be a human like he was supposed to be.

He would often end up sleeping between the two adults. Nights were particularly hard for him. It was when everything he had done and seen was free to run wild in his head. Especially if he went out as Spiderman. The things he stopped always fueled the wicked conjurations of his mind.

Tony and Pepper would always comfort him, no matter what time he crept into their room. They always made him feel better. They said they would always help him. Their soothing words and affectionate touches would keep the darkness in his mind at bay.

Tony tried to convince him to do this thing called therapy. Apparently, it was supposed to help him through the things in his mind. Tony said he had done it himself. In fact, most of the Avengers had done some form of therapy at one time or another.

Minshun didn’t like the thought of it. He understood the appeal. It was supposed to help find a way to cope with feelings. It would help him learn how to react to things and sort through them in a way that didn’t keep him up at night. It would help him adjust to this life more smoothly, fully accepting his family.

He wanted to do all those things on his own though. He had been taught and instructed on how to live and feel and think in the Alliance, and look where that got him. He didn’t want to do that with anyone else. He wanted to figure out what was right and wrong on his own. He wanted to know that he had left all brainwashing behind him, not just trading it for another form.

Besides, he had a way of coping. More than one. His training was coping. It always had been. Now, art was coping. Working with Tony was coping. Talking to Steve about his moral dilemmas was coping. Listening to Natasha talk about her past and getting advice on how to move forward was coping.

Most importantly, Spiderman was coping.

Every time he helped someone. Every time he stopped bad things from happening. Every time he heard people cheering him on. It always made him see he could do good. And that helped him move past all the bad he had done.

He typically didn’t do anything overly grand. He mainly stopped robberies and fights. He would help the police chase people down as well. He would help someone who had lost something or needed to get somewhere. Occasionally, he would encounter people with guns or knives. He would rely on his old training and disarm them. After that, they would usually run away, and he would drop the weapons off at the nearest police station.

The most impressive thing he had done was when a building started to collapse. He used his webbing to hold it up until everyone was out of the way. It had been hard. Very hard. Every muscle in his body was trying to give up due to the exertion. But he hadn’t given up. He wouldn’t have lived with himself if he had given up.

It was all over the news the next day. Everyone was impressed by his great feat.

“That is insane,” Clint said as they watched the report. “How can anyone hold up a building?”

“I could do it,” Tony bragged.

“Yeah, but that’s only ‘cause you have a super mechanical suit. This guy uses spiderwebs and his own body. That’s insane.”

“We need to keep our eyes out for him,” Steve said. “Anyone that strong could end up using his powers in the wrong way.”

“You really think he would do that?” Bruce questioned. “He seems like a good guy.”

“I don’t know. None of us know anything about him. That’s the problem. We just need to keep an eye out for him. Maybe we can even find him and talk to him. He could be helpful in any future global, end-of-the-world type attacks.”

Natasha slipped by Minshun, whispering into his ear. “Be careful. I don’t want you getting hurt. You can’t fix everything in the world, so don’t throw caution to the wind. Don’t do anything stupid.”

He nodded. “I’ll be safe.”

Minshun knew she was right. But he also knew he had fixed the situation. And he was proud of that. The knowledge that he had done that much good was worth every bit of aching muscle he felt.


	26. Chapter 26: Keep Moving Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter, but I love it. I love these fun moments with Natasha. I feel like it adds a lot to both of their characters, and they have a connection that no one else has.
> 
> Enjoy!

“Ohhh, what do we have here?” Natasha flashed her classic, mischievous smirk.

Minshun pulled off his mask. He had brought the agent up to his room to show her his latest suit design. She had wanted to make sure he had enough protection on it.

He walked over to the woman who was holding one of his drawing. When he saw which one it was, he quickly snatched it out of her hand and hid it.

“Who’s the girl?”

“Nobody,” he said. He turned around and hid the picture in one of his drawers. He could feel blood rushing to his face in embarrassment. He knew he should have hidden that.

“She’s cute.”

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

“Oh yeah. Love her attitude too. That middle finger tells me we’d get alone.”

“What does that even mean?”

“What? The middle finger?” Natasha’s smirk somehow grew. “You know, I bet Rogers would love to answer that question. You should walk up to him and just stick up that middle finger. He’ll be so excited.”

“Maybe later,” he replied. Based on the look Natasha had thinking about it, he doubted Steve would like it at all.

“When you do, make sure I’m there. I want to see the look of absolute joy on his face. Oh, and your father. He would love to see it too.”

Okay. Now he definitely knew he shouldn’t do that. He decided he was better off not knowing.

“Can we please get back to my suit now?”

Natasha plopped onto his bed. She crossed her legs and leaned back onto her hands. “Not until you tell me more about this girl.”

Minshun groaned. “I’m not getting out of this am I?”

“Nope.” She patted the bed beside her, and he begrudgingly sat down.

“What do you want to know?” he sighed.

“What’s her name?”

“I have no idea.”

“What do you mean you have no idea?”

“I didn’t ask.”

“So you talked to her?” Natasha perked up at this.

“No. That would be weird. I just so happened to see her. Besides. It would be weird for Spiderman to disturb a random girl reading.”

Natasha looked disappointed. “Well that’s no fun. Where did you see her?”

“Some park. I’m not sure where. I mean, I know where the park is. I’ve passed it a lot, but….”

“So you keep returning to see her again?”

“No!” he cried in defense. He crossed his arms. “You make it sound like I’m obsessed with her. I’m not. I just so happened to see a really pretty girl and….”

“Aww. You think she’s pretty? How sweet.” Natasha was absolutely beaming at this point. Minshun couldn’t tell if this was due to the topic or if she was just having fun making him miserable.

“Well, she isn’t ugly,” he replied.

“You like her, don’t you?”

“How could I know if I like her or not. I’ve never interacted with her. She could be detestable.”

“Well then, you should talk to her. Oh. And give her the drawing. Girls love that kind of thing.”

“Why would I care? Why would I do any of that?” 

She wasn’t making any sense. This girl was a complete stranger. Why would he want to talk to her and give her gifts? It wasn’t like they were going to be friends. She was just a pretty girl. Yeah, sure, he kept thinking about her. But he was sure that would change. He just hadn’t had a lot of experience with girls, so she stood out to him for the time being.

“So you can ask her out,” Natasha answered in a duh-you-should-have-known-this-long-ago voice.

“Ask her out?” What was that supposed to mean?

“Yeah. Go have fun. Get to know each other. See if you like each other a lot. Be romantic.” She emphasized the word romantic.

Now that word he recognized. He had read about it. Apparently, it was earth courting customs to act that way. He thought it was weird. Camolian courting rituals were much simpler. If a guy liked a girl, he would fight in front of her. If she found him attractive and strong, she would then court him. No flowers or gifts or kind, awkward exchanges. So much simpler than all this yucky romance stuff.

“Yuck. No way.”

“Why not?” Natasha pouted. She was really into this whole thing.

“Why do you care so much? I’m doing fine without it.”

“For now. But I don’t want you to miss out on anything. It’s like a rite of passage. And I think you want to. You’re just denying that to yourself.”

He glared at her. He was not. He was completely uninterested. Just because he thought she was pretty didn’t mean he wanted to court her. Besides, he needed to sort himself out before he tried to make any new friends or anything. He wasn’t ready for that. Not after what had happened to all of his old friends. He wasn’t ready for anything like that.

“No. I’ll pass. Maybe some other time.”

Natasha raised an eyebrow as if she knew something he didn’t. “Whatever you say. But I think you’re gonna change your mind.”

“Well, if you’re so keen on this, why aren’t you courting anyone yourself?”

Without a second of hesitation, Natasha hopped off the bed. She tried to change the topic. “So. Your suit. Let’s see it. I wanna make sure you have enough padding under that thing.”

“Oh no. No, no, no.” Minshun grinned at her. “You can’t change it that quickly. I can be just as nosy. What about you? You like anybody?”

Natasha snapped her fingers. “You know, I think the best way to see is to just test it out.” She spun around and aimed a solid kick at his torso.

He flattened himself onto the bed, barely managing to dodge the blow. “Hey. Not nice. It’s only fair you answer me.”

“You know, you’re right. I definitely should have aimed for the head.”

They two ended up sparring around his room. Minshun had a lot of fun. This was the first time he was able to spar with her using his webshooters. They were a great help. Natasha seemed to be enjoying herself as well.

Minshun loved the lighthearted atmosphere. He felt free being able to flip around, but it didn’t involve the high stakes of his normal Spiderman activities.

He was reminded of the play fights he used to have with Hisha and Chacksli. They would run around, laughing the entire time. Often, they would be caught and get in trouble for their reckless behavior, but it was always worth it. It was one of the few experiences he had that resembled a normal childhood.

He lost himself in the memory. He missed them. He knew that he shouldn’t miss being in the Alliance. It was wicked and violent and manipulative. But he did miss it sometimes. He missed the security he felt there. He missed the routine. He missed his friends. Sure, he had all those things here, but they were just different. Not a bad different necessarily. Just different. And it would be one thing if he had just left them since he saw they were bad. But it was a completely different matter since he knew he would never see them again.

Wham!

Minshun was whacked onto the bed by a hard kick from Natasha. He had forgotten he was sparring with her. He shouldn’t have zoned out like that.

Natasha stopped, looking at him in concern. “You okay?”

Minshun nodded. “Yeah. I just….”

She waited for him to continue. 

He sighed. He guessed this was one of those times he should open up. He hated doing so, but he knew it was necessary. And since it was Natasha, he didn’t see a problem with that. He thought out what to say.

“I just miss it sometimes. I know it’s wrong. I have a place here now. And I’m not leaving. But I still can’t help missing everyone back there. Feeling bad for what happened to them, you know? Like, maybe if things had turned out differently somehow, they would still be alive, and we could all be working towards bettering everything under the Alliance’s control.”

Natasha sat beside him. “There’s nothing wrong with that. Don’t feel guilty. They were a large part of your life, and I would be concerned if you never felt that way.”

“But why? Why can’t I move on? I know I have a family here. I know it’s better here. So why can’t I leave it be?”

“Knowing and feeling are very different things. You’ve known for a while, and you’re beginning to feel it, but you’re still reserved. That’s okay. Anyone in your shoes would be the same way. But it will get better with time. One day, you’ll look back and see how far you’ve come. It’s okay to change slowly. Just keep moving forward.”

“Is that why I can’t call Tony and Pepper my parents yet? And I still think of myself as my Camolian name?” He always felt guilty about that, but he couldn’t help it. ‘Peter’ just didn’t feel right. He tried to force it out of himself a few times, but he just couldn’t.

“Yeah. But that’ll change. Everything happens in its own time.”

“But how will I know when that time is? How can I tell when I’ve changed?”

She smiled at him. “You’ll know. Trust me. Just give it time.”

“If you say so.”

“I know so.”


	27. Chapter 27: Under Pressure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so excited that this chapter has finally come! I've been waiting for it forever. I hope you like it as much as I do!
> 
> The scene from Homecoming this chapter parallels is one of my favorites in the movie - possibly the MCU in general. It's just so emotional and moving. I wanted to put my own version of it in this story. I feel like it's a great way to progress his character, both as Peter and as Spiderman.
> 
> Anyway. I hope you like it!

The rain was so thick Minshun could barely see where he was going. But he refused to turn back. He was going to patrol, and nothing was going to stop him.

Besides, he had this nagging feeling something bad was going to happen. He couldn’t tell why. There was no reason he should feel that way. But he just… knew. It was like a sense. A sixth sense. And he wasn’t going to ignore it.

He ended up leaping from building to building. He didn’t trust his shooter’s aim in this weather. He wasn’t even sure if the webbing would stick to anything wet. He’d never tested it. Now that he thought about it, he should really have done that by now. Whatever. He would do that later. For now, he was going to be safe rather than sorry.

He had no idea how long he had been out. He knew it was getting very late. He was cold, and the rain had soaked him to the bone, even through his suit. He was shivering and miserable.

He pushed on. Every time he thought of turning back, he had this tightening feeling in his chest. He just couldn’t stop. He had to keep going.

The rain refused to let up, but he kept moving. He was grateful for the training the Alliance gave him. He had learned how to push forward in horrible conditions. It was more a mental battle than a physical one. He just had to commit.

As time progressed, he was starting to get worn out. His body felt so weighed down. He was losing the battle. He was seriously starting to wonder if he would have to turn back to the tower.

Suddenly, the sky came alive as lighting streaked through the air. A few seconds later, thunder followed. The sound was deafening with his new earpieces in. He was so glad Tony had helped him fix it. It would have been even worse if the device was still overpowered.

With the weather worsening, Minshun finally turned back. The churning of his gut intensified, but he ignored it. It wasn’t wise for him to stay out in this. And someone would have to be really stupid to try anything out in this.

He had to get back to the tower. He climbed to the roof of a building and started running across the buildings. He could move quicker that way.

Lightning hit the ground a block behind him. The flash left a white streak in his vision even after it was gone. Fantastic. As if he wasn’t already having enough trouble seeing. He kept moving forward.

Minshun decided he hated storms. There had never been anything like this on Camolia. They had simulations of it, but that was it. He didn’t know why this one was so bad. There had been other storms since he arrived at earth, but nothing like this. Although, it had been mainly snowstorms before now, so that made a difference. And he was used to observing them from inside the tower. This was the first time he was in one. He hoped he never had to be in one again, though he was sure he would.

He was getting to the higher buildings now. He was having to leap father and even use his webbing some. He started slipping and sliding. This was getting more dangerous every second. Could the universe not let up for a minute? It just had to give him a hard time.

He hoped everyone else would be okay. Hopefully, most people had enough common sense to go inside once all this started. He couldn’t worry about that though. He was currently of no help. He just had to focus on getting home.

Lightning hit the top of the tower he was on. Thankfully, he was far enough down where it didn’t directly strike him, but it did overwhelm his senses. 

In shock, he lost his grip. He started falling. His heart pounded in his ears as he grasped blindly for anything to hang on to, shooting webs as he descended. One finally hit its target, and he pulled himself towards the wall.

Clinging there for dear life, he gasped for air and tried to calm his racing heart. That had been terrifying. He never wanted to do that again. He internally cursed himself for his stupid stubbornness that lead him here in the first place.

That stupid feeling had been warning him. Warning him he was and idiot. Warning him he should have turned back. Warning him that….

Lightning struck again. This time it was lower on the building. There were screams as the building’s structure began to fail.

Maybe he had stayed out for a reason.

He reached to his visor and initiated the heat vision function. He scanned the building. Thankfully, it appeared most people had left before-hand, but there were still some inside. He broke through the window and rushed towards the nearest group. 

When he reached them, he grabbed two terrified women and pulled them back to the window. He shot some webbing around them.

“Trust me. It’s gonna be okay. I’m gonna get you down. Don’t panic.” 

He shot a thread to the floor at the window. He made sure the total thread was slightly shorter than the distance to the ground. Then, he connected it to the webbing around them.

“You ready?”

They shook their heads no.

He shoved them out the window. They screamed as they descended. Looking to the ground to make sure they made it okay, he barely made out their outlines walking away with two policemen.

He scanned the building again to find the nearest civilian. It was a lone man a few floors down. He shot a web to the floor at his feet and jumped out the window. He used his trajectory to swing through the window on that floor. He found the man and let him down the same way he had the two women.

He did this four more times. He scanned the building one last time, and there were no heat signatures to be seen. He sighed in relief. Great. Now he could get out of here himself. He shot a web to the ground so he could swing down.

Crack!

He was thrown back into the building as lighting struck again. There must have been something in this building. Benjamin Franklin would be proud.

He pushed himself off the ground to run out, but he was thrown back once again. This time, it was from the building collapsing. This was not good.

He ran as fast as he could towards the window, but it was to no avail. He was falling. And everything was coming down with him. He felt himself being tossed around as the slabs of building collided with his body. He kept hitting the ground, but then it would give way beneath him. He must be crashing through all the remaining floors.

Finally, he hit the real ground, and it stopped caving under him. For a split second, he was relieved. He would be okay now. Then, all the floors he had crashed through landed around and on top of him. 

His body ached. Everything hurt. He was fairly certain his ribs were broken. Maybe a punctured lung. He wasn’t quite sure.

As the debris settled, he coughed. Yup. Definitely a punctured lung. This was going to be a nightmare to explain to Tony.

He tried to push himself up, but he couldn’t move. That’s okay. He’d just try again. He had to build up his strength. He waited a few second, psyching himself up for the hard task at hand. After a deep breath, he pushed up with everything he had.

Nothing.

Now, he was starting to panic. He tried again. And again. Each time, he became weaker and weaker. He was getting nowhere.

This wasn’t good. This was far from good. He was full on panicking now. He couldn’t stay here. He couldn’t breathe. He had to get out. But he couldn’t. He wasn’t strong enough. He needed help.

“Hello? Please! Anybody up there! I’m down here! I’m down here! Please! I need help! I’m down here! Please! Somebody? Anybody? Please help me!”

His throat burned as he screamed. His lungs and ribs protested, but that was the last of his worries. He needed to get out. 

He waited for someone to answer. For any sign of someone digging him out. Nothing. He didn’t know if he was too deep for them to find him or if they just thought it was a hopeless cause. But he was on his own. 

He started crying. His whole body shook as he did so, which only worsened his state. He couldn’t stop, though. He was so scared. He didn’t know what to do. He was going to die here. Alone. With no one to help him. He should have gone home sooner. He should have jumped out with the last man. Anything. Anything at all to have prevented this. But it was too late for that. He was here now, and he couldn’t change it.

He thought of the people he had saved. They were out. They were safe. If he died there, he decided it would be worth it. He would die knowing that they were alive.

He lay there, breathing heavily. He was accepting his fate. He was too weak and alone to make it out of this.

Suddenly, he heard groaning beside him. No, no, no, no, no. This wasn’t right. There had been no more heat signatures in the building. He was alone. 

But the groaning continued. It turned into sobs and then cries of a little girl. She was pleading for help, just as he had done a few minutes prior.

This couldn’t be happening. He had left this little girl in the building. She was now doomed just as he had been. She had no one coming for her. No one was going to help her. There was no one around….

Except him. He was there.

“Hey! Hey! Little girl!”

“Are… Are you going to get me out of here?” she sobbed.

“Yes. Yes, I am.”

Why did he say that? Why did he lie? He couldn’t even get himself out of here. He didn’t have the strength to save himself. 

But that was it. He didn’t have the strength for himself. But this was no longer for himself. He didn’t care about himself. He did, however, care about this girl. She needed help, and he was the only one who could get to her. And he wasn’t going to give up until he saved her or died trying.

“Are you hurt? Can you move?”

“My… my arm hurts. And my head hurts.”

“Okay, that makes sense. You did fall very far. But can you move?”

There was a pause. “Yeah.”

“Okay. I need you to try and come to my voice. I don’t know where you are, and I don’t want to hurt you as I start moving things. Do you think you can do that for me?”

“I can try.”

“Great. That’s great.”

He heard movement to his right. Things were shifting. He could hear it. He waited a few minutes as this continued. Her whimpering was growing closer. He could hear her almost beside him now.

“Keep going, little miss. You’re doing great. You’re so brave and strong. We’ll get you out of here soon enough. Just keep coming.”

He hoped he was helping her. He had never interacted with another human kid before. Much less one from earth with a building on top of her. He was just acting on instinct, saying what he would have wanted to be told when he was that age. He hoped it was enough to keep her going.

He felt a small hand at his hip.

“Hey! Great job, little miss. You’re awesome. So. Can you tell me your name?”

“Eliza,” she said softly.

“Eliza? Wow. What a pretty name. Well, I’m Spiderman. And I’m gonna get you out of here. That sound good?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Great. So…. I need you to get as close to me as possible. That way I can block you from anything falling. Okay?”

He felt her whole body press against his side.

“Okay. You stay just like that. And when I tell you to move, you do exactly what I tell you as quick as you can. Got it?”

“Yeah.”

He took a deep breath. He managed to place his arms in front of him. He shook his head, mentally screamed at himself, and pushed up. The structures on his back began to shift. With every second, he felt like he was going to collapse, but he kept pushing. He gritted his teeth and pushed harder. He couldn’t stop. He managed to get it up high enough for him to bring his legs up to a squatting stance. That was good. His legs were a lot stronger than his back and arms.

“Okay, Eliza. I need you to move in front of my knees, okay?”

She quickly crawled into place, and he saw her give a thumbs up in front of his face. A chuckle and faint smile at the childish response escaped his clenched jaw.

He took another deep breath and pushed up with his legs. There was so much weight that nothing happened at first. He gritted his teeth to the point he thought they would shatter and pushed harder. Harder. Harder. Slowly, everything began to lift. But it wasn’t enough. He pushed harder, screaming out loud not at the effort. Finally, he was almost standing.

He looked around, his body shaking violently under the weight. They were still surrounded. Great. Just great. How was he supposed to….

There was light. It was distant, but it was there. It was just bright enough for him to see a form of tunnel leading to it. They could dig through the sections of debris blocking it, and then they would be out.

“Eliza,” he forced through his teeth. “I need you to move into that tunnel to our left. See it?”

She scanned her left until she saw the light. Then, she crawled towards it.

Minshun was on the verge of giving out. If it weren’t for adrenaline and heroic and preservation instincts, he would have given out a long time ago. Even so, his muscles couldn’t hold out much longer. 

“Great. Keep going as far as you can. Now. When I follow, all this is going to crash behind me. It’s gonna sound really scary, but you’ll be out of the way. Okay. You ready?”

“Yeah.”

He put his arms up, bracing the rubble above him. He pushed up with all his remaining might and scrambled out towards the tunnel. He dove forward, sliding into it as everything came crashing down. It smacked his ankle in the process, but the rest of him was free. He quickly dug his foot out and slid up towards the girl.

“Okay. We’re gonna work together now and get to that light.”

“Okay.”

They started digging. It felt like they did this forever, but he knew it couldn’t have been more than a few minutes. Soon, they managed to make it to the end. The cool fresh air hit their faces.

“You go first, Eliza.”

Without hesitation, the girl obliged. There was a moment of complete darkness as she blocked his view, and then she was out. He heard people rushing towards her, calling her name. Probably her parents. That was good.

With what little energy he had left, he army crawled out of the hole. It was difficult as he was blacking out. Once his upper body was exposed to the outside world, he became vaguely aware of arms grabbing and pulling him. Thank goodness.

He was going to thank whoever did that. But first, he was going to give into the fatigue and shock that overwhelmed his body. He slipped into unconsciousness.


	28. Chapter 28: Healing After Thunder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise I actually like Thor. He's a great character in the MCU. But in this, he's basically a giant, rash child. But at least he still has a heart and tries to help Spiderman.
> 
> I do love the Natasha moment at the end though. I think it shows a lot about their relationship.
> 
> And I am sooooooo excited for the next chapter! It's where things really start to change, and the ending is big. But that's next chapter. Hope you enjoy this one!

When Minshun woke, everything hurt. His head was pounding. His chest on fire. His ankle was throbbing. His muscles were screaming. He was in a very uncomfortable bed, but the thought of moving was too exhausting for him to do anything about.

He lay there, just breathing. Everything that had happened came back to him. The storm. The building collapsing. The little girl. He hoped she was okay. He was sure she was. Someone would have taken care of her.

He slowly grew more aware of his surroundings. He was not outside, that was for sure. It was too dry. He had a blanket on top of him. That felt nice. He could still hear commotion around him, but it was muffled through walls. He wasn’t worried about that. He couldn’t find the energy to care.

The rain had stopped. He could hear that. Thank goodness. He did not want to deal with that right now. He had had enough rain for the rest of the year. He would be fine if he never saw another storm in his entire life.

He grimaced as he got a crick in his neck and tried to turn his head. Through this action, he realized there was something on his face. Carefully, he lifted his hand to feel it. There was an oxygen mask on his face. That made sense. He trailed his fingers along it. This was much nicer than the ones at the Alliance base. It actually fit his human face. 

His fingers trailed down to his dirty skin….

Skin….

His mask was off.

Minshun tried to sit up but found it a much harder task than he anticipated. With great effort, he opened his heavy eyes. Looking around, he realized he was in an ambulance. He was lying on a gurney. By his feet sat a young paramedic. He came over to Minshun as the boy tried to sit up.

“I wouldn’t do that quite yet if I were you. You’re in pretty rough shape. Give it a minute.”

Minshun groggily yanked the oxygen mask off his face.

“Woah,” the paramedic said. “You need to keep that on.”

Minshun shook his head. He felt dizzy as he did so, but he wasn’t going to pay attention to that. This was more urgent. His mask was off. He was in an ambulance. That meant they were going to take him to a hospital. Then, everyone would see who he was. He would get in so much trouble. Tony would be pissed. So would Natasha. She had told him to be smart. That had not been smart. That had been far from smart. No. He couldn’t go to a hospital. He would go back to the tower and patch himself up in the med bay. He was sure he could ask JARVIS to instruct him if he didn’t know what to do.

“I have to get out of here,” he said. His words were slurred as he was still half out of it. “I need to go home.”

“You will,” the paramedic said calmly. “But for now, you need to stay right here.”

Minshun shook his head. “No. No hospital. I don’t need the hospital. I can’t go. They… they will know. I can’t let anyone know. I’ll be in trouble.” Minshun wished his head would sort itself out. It was very hard to think at the moment.

“We aren’t taking you to the hospital, kid.”

Minshun blinked at the man. What had he just said? Then, why was he in here? Why was this guy giving him medical attention? They should just be letting him go.

“There is a man outside who said he was taking you to the Avenger’s doctor. He said they would know what to do for you since you were superhuman. However, I didn’t think it was wise for you to travel in your condition. Especially not by the method he wants to take you. And your breathing was irregular, so we put you in here. I’m the one who put the mask on you, so I’m the only one who has seen your face. Don’t worry. I wouldn’t tell anyone, even if I knew your name.”

Minshun leaned back onto the gurney. Relief flooded over him. Followed by panic. Who was outside? The paramedic had said it was a him? Was it Tony? It had to be Tony. He did not look forward to the ride home with Tony.

“Hey. You need to stay calm. Here. Let’s get this back on you.” The paramedic slipped the oxygen mask back onto the boy.

He breathed deeply. He closed his eyes and tried to relax. He zoned everything out. He couldn’t deal with the way home right now. Now, he had to focus on breathing. 

He gradually calmed down. He was starting to feel better. He was far from well, but at least he was alert. He sat up once again, and this time his head didn’t spin as much.

“There we go. You feeling better?”

Minshun nodded slowly. He wanted to make sure his head didn’t go crazy again.

“Good. Good. Do you think you’re ready to stand up and get out of here? I know it’s probably not an appealing thought, but you need to get more serious attention ASAP.”

Minshun shuffled to the end of the gurney so he could stand up. “I think I’m ready.” The man was right. The thought of moving was far from pleasant, but he knew it had to be done.

“Good. Before you go, I think you might want this.” He held out the Spiderman mask.

Minshun grasped it and pulled it onto his head. “Thank you.”

“No. Thank you,” he said, sincerity evident in his voice. “Now. Let’s get you up.” He opened the door and hopped out, offering his arm to help the boy out of the ambulance.

As Minshun got out, he realized just how bad the situation had been. Lights, sounds, and smells flooded his senses. The building was completely gone. There was police tape blocking off the whole area. Flashing ambulances, police cars, and rescue trucks lined the street. There were crowds of people huddled everywhere. He recognized some of them as the ones he had rescued. He was glad they were okay.

He was thrown back as something collided with his legs. He grunted as his aching body hit the pavement. As he looked, he saw Eliza standing there wrapped in a blanket. She knelt down in front of him and wrapped her arms around him. It was so precious he couldn’t be mad at being thrown to the ground, no matter how much his body hated it. He pulled her closer to him in a hug.

“Thank you, Spiderman,” she mumbled into his shoulder. “I’m glad you were there to save me.”

He smiled down at her, even though she couldn’t see it due to the mask on his face. “Me too, little miss.”

“Eliza!”

Minshun looked up to see a woman running in his direction, a man close behind her. When they saw the girl in his arms on the ground, the woman squatted down.

“Honey, come here. Give the nice man some space. I’m sure he doesn’t feel like being on the ground.”

Eliza let go and ran into her mother’s arms. The woman stood up and brushed some hair out of her daughter’s face. He planted a kiss to the girl’s forehead.

The man behind them stepped forward.

“Thank you for saving my little girl. They said by the looks of it they wouldn’t have been able to get her out in time. If you hadn’t been there….” He stopped himself as he teared up.

“No problem,” Minshun replied. “I was glad I could help her. In fact, she helped me.”

The man looked to someone behind the boy. “And you? I suppose I have you to thank for this rescue too?”

“Not exactly. Man of Spiders deserves the credit for this rescue.”

“Thor?” Minshun turned around, the motion causing him to hiss in pain. Sure enough, the Asgardian stood behind him. He looked like he had been in battle. Wonder what happened to him. “What are you doing here?”

“Let us not get into that in at the moment. Are you ready to move?”

Minshun reached out his hand, and the god helped him to his feet. “Let’s get this over with.” He wasn’t exactly sure how the man had gotten here, but he was ready to leave.

Thor wrapped his arm around the boy and pulled him to his chest tightly. Wow. He hadn’t been expecting a hug. The man was sort of crushing him, but it was the thought that….

Minshun screamed as he started flying through the air. Thor was holding his special hammer out in front of them, and it was dragging them through the sky. Minshun suddenly remembered the first time he had seen the man. He had been flying around on the battlefield. He really should have thought of that when preparing to go with him.

“Are you alright?” the god asked.

“Sorry.”

“It is quite alright.” He paused. “Are you not used to being in the air? Your swing and leap everywhere.”

“Oh. Yeah. I just wasn’t expecting it.”

“I see.” Another pause. “The Avengers will be very pleased to meet you. I’m sure you will make a great addition to the team.”

Minshun snorted. “You mean they’re all going to be mad with me, and I will not be allowed out of the house until I die of old age.”

“Nonsense. You did great work. Very heroic. Why would they be mad at you?”

Minshun blinked at the large man. How could he not see? He should know everyone enough to see they would not be happy with him getting in danger like that. Unless…. 

“You have no idea who I am, do you?”

“No. Why would I? Although, I will know soon enough.”

“No. No you are not. You are going to give me to the doctors and leave. Trust me. It will work out for everyone that way.”

“I am not sure….”

“Please, Thor trust me.”

There was a long pause. “If you really insist on not joining the Avengers….”

“I do.”

“Okay then. As soon as you are cared to, you will leave. But you still need the superhero doctors.”

“I can agree with that.”

There was a long silence as they flew through the air. Minshun couldn’t believe Thor didn’t know who he was. Although, he remembered the paramedic saying he had been the only one to see his face. But the voice should be a dead giveaway. Not that he was complaining at the god’s incompetence to recognize him. But how had Thor known to go there? Wasn’t he with his girlfriend? Had he just seen it on the news or something?

“What were you doing there? How did you know what was happening?”

“Well, I was already there.”

“Really? Why? Were you on your way to the tower or something?”

“Not exactly. I was actually with my brother.”

“What were you doing?”

Thor paused. “Fighting?”

Things started to click together in Minshun’s mind. “Hold up! You mean to tell me that whole storm was you?”

“It was a very intense fight.”

“I almost died! Tons of people almost died! Because you and your stupid brother had a sibling quarrel?”

“He’s adopted.”

“You know what? That’s it! Put me down! I have tried to get to know you, but you just cause me problems every time I am around you. I will walk from here. I don’t even care how long it takes or how awkward it is. I don’t feel safe with you.”

“Too late.” Thor landed on the tower’s platform.

Minshun stormed towards the entrance. Or, he tried to. He probably looked ridiculous as he couldn’t walk right. He didn’t care. He wanted to get away from this man as quickly as possible. 

The god rushed by him and opened the door. “JARVIS. Take the Man of Spiders to the medical bay. When he is recovered, let him leave.”

“As you wish.”

Thor turned to the boy. “Farewell, Man of Spiders. I hope you will change your mind over joining Avengers. Until we meet again.” He nodded his head and took off into the sky.

Minshun was fuming as he descended in the elevator. He could not believe that man. He hadn’t liked him or his brother from the very start. He knew he had had a reason. There had been serious harm done to a lot of people today, and it was over a stupid sibling squabble. Could they not settle disputes in a civilized fashion? Like a knife fight to the death or something?

He stepped out of the elevator. The lights were out. He hoped none of the doctors were in. He knew he had said he would get help, but he was sure he would be just fine on his own. He would take care of everything with the help of JARVIS and no one would….

The lights turned on. There in front of him, arms crossed as she leaned against a bed, stood Natasha Romanoff. And she did not look amused.

“Umm. Hi?” Minshun wasn’t sure what to say. Was he supposed to defend himself? There wasn’t really anything he could say.

The woman pointed to the bed. “Sit.”

As quickly as his failing body would take him, he hobbled over to the bed and clambered onto it. Natasha gestured for him to take off his suit, and he did as instructed. Once he was in his underwear, the agent started looking him over. She quickly started caring to his wounds. She gave him a few stitches and wrapped his ankle. She pierced his chest with a needle to release unwanted air building up from his punctured lung. It was not a pleasant experience, but it was necessary.

As Natasha started dressing his minor injuries, she finally spoke. Her tone was stern and emotionless.

“That was stupid.”

“I know.”

“You said you wouldn’t do anything stupid. You would be safe.”

“I know.”

“You could have died. Thank goodness I couldn’t sleep. I had turned on the news, and I saw what had happened. And I saw you being pulled out. I saw Thor, and I knew he would bring you here. If I hadn’t been awake, what would have happened? You would have tried to fix yourself up? That would be stupid in your condition.”

“I’m sorry.” He hung his head.

Natasha paused. When she spoke again, her voice was slightly gentler. “You did a good job though. You did a good thing.”

He smiled at her. “Thanks, Nat.”

She glared at him, her voice becoming stern once more. “But don’t do it again. At least not without telling somebody.”

“Okay.”

MInshun started to doze off. Now that he was back in the comfort of his home, he knew he was safe. He was going to be okay. He let himself slip away.

He jolted as Natasha patted his leg. “All done,” she said. “You’re staying here for the night. We need to keep you elevated cause of that lung. When everyone asks, we were both awake and went to the training area. We decided to spar in the rain for a challenge. It went terribly wrong. Got it?”

Minshun nodded.

“Good. Now, get some rest.”

Natasha turned to walk away, but Minshun grabbed her hand. “Thank you,” he said.

“No problem. Just don’t make me do it again.”

She pulled away, but he stopped her once more.

“Can you stay with me?” he asked, his voice was slurred as he was already drifting to sleep.

As a response, she climbed onto the bed and laid beside the boy. He curled up closer to her, and they drifted off together.


	29. Chapter 29: What's Your Name?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh I've been waiting to put this chapter out for ever! I'm so glad we're here. The big shift for our boy has finally come!
> 
> I am a major Peter/MJ shipper, and that's pretty evident in this and upcoming chapters. It doesn't become the main point by any means, but it does drive the plot on some occasions - like this one. And I just really like writing it in general, cause like I said, I love them. I smiled the whole time I was writing and editing this chapter.
> 
> I love how awkward he is in this whole scene. He has no idea how to handle feeling that don't revolve around bad guys or family. I base his reactions off personal experience, lol. The struggles of a socially awkward introvert.
> 
> Also, the book MJ is reading is the one she had in Homecoming. Just in case anyone cares.
> 
> Anyway, enough of me rambling. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I do!

Minshun flew down the sidewalk, his feet pushing him forward with every stride. His heart pounded and his lungs were on fire, but he felt amazing.

He had been cooped up in the tower for weeks now. Tony and Pepper had insisted that he rest and recover. He had been fine for a while now, courtesy of his fast metabolism and accelerated healing. Even so, they refused to let him do anything physical. They didn’t want to take any risks.

Tony had been furious when he saw the state his son was in.

“Why on earth would you think it was a good idea to drag a fifteen-year-old kid into a raging thunderstorm and duel with him?” he had shouted at Natasha. “I’m all for not being normal, but that is just ridiculous!”

“It’s not her fault.” Minshun tried to stand up for the super-agent. He didn’t like the thought of her talking the blame for him, especially since all she had done was help him. “I was the one who insisted on going out into it.”

Tony pointed his finger at the boy. “No. You see, this is where you zip it. The adults are talking.”

“I see now I shouldn’t have let him go out,” Natasha said, sending Minshu a pointed look. He could see the double meaning in her words. “But on the bright side he showed a lot of skill. You should be proud.”

“I’m sure I would be if it weren’t for the fact that he can barely move.”

Minshun interjected once more. “Actually, it’s not that bad anymore. If it weren’t for my ankle, I’d be running around just fine.”

“No. You’re supposed to be on my side. I say you can’t move, that means you can’t move.”

And that’s how Minshun ended up on bedrest. 

It had driven him insane. He hated not being able to move. He felt like he was missing out on so many important things that he should be doing. But he had no choice. 

Then, when he was finally allowed to walk around, Tony insisted on being with him all the time. It was very hindering. Though, the entire process had helped him grow closer to the man. Minshun felt much more comfortable with him. In fact, he grew closer to everyone. He even started thinking of this as his home, not just ‘the tower’.

Finally, Minshun had convinced them to let him go for a run. He needed to get the energy out, and they would be able to track him the whole time with the phone Tony had given him.

That’s how he ended up here, feet pounding away as he sped down the sidewalk. He had no idea where he was going to end up. He didn’t care. He just wanted to move. He wanted to feel the air rushing against his face, his heart forcefully pumping life through his veins. It was a wonderous feeling, especially since he hadn’t experienced it for so long.

He was sure that Tony would not be pleased with how far out he was running. He couldn’t blame him. It probably wasn’t wise to go all out after being so sedentary. But he didn’t care. He felt too good to stop.

He eventually slowed to a halt. Leaning over, he tried to catch his breath. He looked around to try and gather his bearings. It didn’t take long as he was standing by that familiar park entrance.

How strange that his feet had brought him here. He had thought about this place some. It was just because he came here all the time as Spiderman, and he hadn’t been able to recently. That was it. Definitely not what Natasha had been bugging him about.

He checked the time. He should really head back.

He looked at the entrance. If he rested just a bit, he would be able to run better on the way home. Yeah. Just a little break. And he just so happened to be by a park he had thought about a lot. He would walk inside and just make sure everything was okay. All the people. The dogs. Yes. He would go in for the dogs. He liked the dogs. It had nothing to do with the fact that this was about the same time he had seen that mysterious, pretty girl here all that time ago. Nope. Just checking up on the dogs. His giddy anticipation was all over seeing dogs.

He walked into the park. It was just like he remembered it. It was so lively and peaceful. There was so much happiness here. And dogs. There were dogs. The dogs he was checking up on. Because that’s all he cared about here. He had no other possible motivation.

He stopped in his tracks. There in front of him was that same bench. And on it sat the girl, her nose still in a book.

Minshun turned around and walked away. He had no need to talk to her. True, she looked very nice, and she seemed to be smart like him. Not that he really had anything to base that off of, but it was a very large book. That had to count for something. At least they both liked reading. 

He stopped. He felt this weird urge inside him to walk over to her. But that was stupid. He didn’t even know her. He didn’t need to get to know her.

Without being fully aware of what his body was doing, he turned around. It couldn’t hurt to sit on the bench, right? After all, he did need his rest to get back home at a better pace.

He turned back around. There were plenty of other benches. He had passed one with man and his dog at it. He could sit on that one. He was here for the dogs. And it looked so fluffy. Maybe he could touch it.

He turned around. That was stupid. He knew nothing about that man or his dog. They could try to eat him for all he knew. The girl wasn’t going to do that. Or would she? Maybe she was a murderer or a cannibal, and she lured stupid people like him in.

He turned around. Why was this such a problem? He didn’t like the feeling in his gut. He wanted it to go away. He must be sick. He needed medicine. He should really get back….

“If you’re gonna sit, then sit.”

He spun around. The girl still had her face in the book, but it had to have been her who had spoken. There were no other girls around.

“You were watching me?” he asked, slowly walking over.

She didn’t even look up as she responded. “Yeah. But I’m not a stalker. I’m just observant.”

Minshun stood right in front of the bench. That weird feeling in his stomach was intensifying. Was this a warning? Like the one he had had as Spiderman before the building collapsed? Was he going to die? No. That’s not it. This feeling was different. It didn’t fill him with dread.

He decided to ignore it for the moment.

“Are you sure you’re okay with me sitting here?” He wanted to be polite. He hoped she would let him sit though.

In response, the girl scooted over on the bench, giving him more room. He plopped down on the opposite end of the girl. He wanted to leave her space. He knew he hated it when people intruded on his space, so he didn’t want to do that to her.

“I will warn you,” the girl said as she flipped the page in her book. “I have pepper spray in my pocket, and I’m not afraid to use it. So don’t try anything stupid.”

“Okay.” He had no idea what that was, but he figured it was some kind of weapon. He didn’t hope to find out for sure though.

He sat there in silence for a while. It was awkward, but he didn’t know how to act. He knew he wasn’t good with people. Especially those his age. He didn’t have enough practice. He didn’t have any practice. He should really have asked someone back at the tower about interactions before now. Except Natasha. Based on their previous discussion over this girl, he didn’t think she would be very helpful.

He cleared his throat. “So. Whatcha reading?” He cringed at how awkward he sounded. Why was he even doing this? Natasha had literally corrupted his mind. He had been brainwashed! Again! But this one was worse because he was completely aware of it.

“Of Human Bondage.” She turned another page.

“Sounds… interesting. What’s it about?”

“An orphan boy struggling to find the meaning of life in a cruel world.”

“Sounds…. Interesting. Is that for school or something?”

“Oh no. Midtown Tech would never have us read something like this.”

“You go to Midtown Tech?” He recognized that name. Midtown School of Science and Technology. That was one of the schools Pepper had considered sending him to.

“Yeah. That’s what I just said. Why? Do you?”

“Not at the moment.”

She hummed, turning another page. He wished she would just pay attention to him.

“But I will be.”

Why? Why did he say that? Was he really that desperate for attention? 

He had specifically told Pepper over and over he did not want to go to school. He wanted to stay and learn with Bruce. He wasn’t ready to be with so many other people. He didn’t know how to act. This entire situation was proof enough that he wasn’t ready for school.

For the first time, the girl looked up at him. It was only a sideways glance, but it was something.

“Really?”

Minshun nodded. “Yeah. I just moved here, and so I’m getting transferred.”

No, he wasn’t. Why was he saying this? His mouth betrayed him. He blamed Natasha and her brain-manipulation powers. Or maybe it was this stupid feeling’s fault. He knew he should have gone back home. He must have pushed himself too hard. He needed serious medical attention ASAP.

“Have fun with that,” the girl said.

“What do you mean? Is it not a good school?”

“Academically, it’s great. Our decathlon team is one of the best.”

“And everything else?”

She shrugged. “People are people. I ignore them as much as possible.” She turned another page. She must really be into that book.

“Oh. That makes sense. I’m not good with people. But they can’t all be bad. You seem nice enough.”

She made a sort of scoffing, snort noise.

Minshun tilted his head. “What is that supposed to mean?” 

“I’m not exactly the type of person people hang around. I’m the weird girl. The outcast. The one without any friends. If you want to make friends, I would recommend you don’t stay with me.”

Minshun stared at the girl. He knew what that was like. It was lonely. He didn’t want her to feel lonely. He didn’t know why, but he felt drawn to this girl. She was like him. The outcast. The one who was bad with people. But they seemed to be fine with each other. He liked that. 

It seemed stupid to doom one’s self socially before he even started school. If he even was going to start there. But he decided to anyway.

“Well, it looks like we can be outcasts together.”

The girl finally closed the book and looked at him. Fully looked at him. His gut did that weird thing again, but he tried to ignore it. She gazed at him with such unnerving intensity it was admirable. He thought Natasha was right. The two females would probably get along great. They both had that soul-piercing stare.

The girl seemed to reach whatever conclusion she was searching for as she reopened her book. “You do you. But I’m not going to be your buddy buddy.”

Minshun held up his hands defensively. “Absolutely. Both completely friendless.”

Minshun saw the faintest hint of a smile. He knew he had won. He didn’t know why, but that made him happy. He felt like he’d do just fine if this girl was there too.

Minshun felt his phone buzz. He pulled it out and checked the notification. It was a warning from Pepper that Tony was freaking out at him being gone for so long. She said if they didn’t hear from him in a few minutes, the man was going to blast to his location in his latest Ironman suit.

He stood up. “Uhhh, I gotta go. It… it was nice talking to you.” He turned to run away.

“Wait.” He spun around to see the girl looking at him. “You gonna tell me your name, or….”

“Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. My bad. I probably should have started with that. I’m really bad with the whole people thing, as you’ve clearly noticed….”

She stared at him, one eyebrow raised. “Sooooo?”

“Peter.”

Wait. Had he just said Peter? That didn’t make any sense. 

And yet, it did. 

He wasn’t the boy at the Alliance base anymore. He was here. On earth. He had a new home. He had a new family. He had a new calling. He was hopefully going to a new school. He was meeting new people. He was completely starting over in this new life.

Natasha had been right. He had changed over time. And he was finally ready to accept that. He felt in his heart that this was where he was supposed to be. He was putting the past behind him, and he was ready to show everyone that. He was ready to be fully human.

He smiled at the realization. “Yeah. Peter.”

The girl nodded once in acknowledgement. “Michelle. Jones. But you can call me MJ.”

Peter felt his phone buzz again. He took off running. “Nice to meet you, MJ,” he called over his shoulder. “I’ll see you at school.”


	30. Chapter 30: Can I Go?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said towards the beginning of the story, I kept referring to Peter as Minshun because that's how he viewed himself. Now that that has changed, Peter will be Peter from here on out. Yay. The more standard Peter Parker is coming to be.
> 
> Now... cue Tony being overprotective (to be fair, it's for good reason after everything that's happened to Peter), Pepper being a mediator, and Clint and Natasha being themselves.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this more light-hearted chapter!

Peter burst through the door. He had finally made it back to the tower. He was sure he was about to get a long talking to from Tony, but that would be okay. He needed to talk to him anyway. And Pepper.

He checked his phone again. He had sent a text to Tony on his way back. He really didn’t want Ironman to come pick him up. He knew the man would have done it too. Peter would rather be safe than sorry, so he tried to prevent that incident from occurring. But that text wasn’t going to diminish any of the man’s overprotectiveness now that he was back.

The elevator doors opened to the common room, and he stepped out.

“What in the world, kid?” Tony said immediately. He wasn’t wasting any time. “First of all, I said you could go for a short run. That was not a short run! Are you trying to never walk again? And second, what were you doing in that park for so long? I was starting to wonder if you’d been attacked or kidnapped again or something.”

“I’m sorry. I should have sent you a text sooner. And I meant to come home earlier. I really did. But I got distracted.”

“Distracted? In a park?” Natasha’s head popped up from the couch. “Do share.”

Tony, who was still staring at his boy, pointed his finger at the agent. “Family discussion, Romanoff. I don’t even know why you’re here.”

“’Cause she wants to see the drama unfold,” Clint called out. He walked out of the kitchen and towards the couch, a bowl of popcorn in hand. Natasha sat up so he could sit beside her.

“Really?” Tony said flatly. “I thought you’d gone home.”

“I had,” Clint replied. “And now I’m back. What can I say? I love some entertainment. Carry on, you two.”

Tony waved him off. He spoke to Peter once more. “Now. Why were you out there so long? Do I need to have Capsicle run with you every time so you don’t vanish off the grid?”

“No. No, I’ll get better about telling you where I am.”

Tony waved his finger around as he was thinking. “Maybe I’ll just follow you everywhere. I mean, what good is a flying suit with a tracking system if you don’t use it to stalk your son?”

“Please, don’t do that,” Peter groaned. “I would rather actually be attacked.” How was he supposed to learn how to interact with people like that? How was he supposed to go to school and talk to MJ?

“What’s that? You love your dad being Ironman, and it would thrill you to have me follow you literally everywhere because I’m looking out for you? Oh, I’m so glad!”

The elevator doors opened, and Pepper stepped out. “Oh, good. You’re back. Your father was about to go insane, and he was trying to drag me with him.”

Peter spun around to face her. “Please, Pepper. If you love me, you have to convince him not to follow me around as Ironman.”

Pepper turned to her husband, a look of pure amusement on her face. “Did you actually just threaten him with that?”

“I did. And the more I think about it, the better it sounds. It’ll be great. I’ll get him some friends in no time.”

“Or you’ll scare everyone away and simultaneously ruin any hope of a normal life I have,” Peter countered.

“Nonsense. Everybody loves me. And why would you want to be normal? That’s boring. We’re Stark men. We live large.”

“And I love being a Stark, really, I do. But I also want to be known for being me. For being just Peter, you know? And I can’t exactly do that if Ironman is literally hovering over me.”

Silence.

Had he said something wrong? He thought he was making a valid argument. Had it offended them? He didn’t see why. They always told him to be himself and not be something just because someone told him to. Why would that change now?

Pepper placed her hand lightly on his shoulder. Her eyes were full of love and wonder. “Did you just call yourself Peter?”

“Oh. That. Yeah. I did.”

Pepper pulled him into a hug. He returned it. He felt Tony’s hand on his shoulder. This was nice. 

But he was over it.

“Okay. Can we get back to how you’re not going to follow me around in the Ironman suit?”

“Hmmm. No. I think that’s still a go.”

“Tony,” Pepper said in her you-better-listen-to-me voice.

“Pepper.”

“Leave it.”

“But I want to.”

“Tony.”

“It’ll make me happy.”

“Tony.”

“Don’t you want me to be happy?”

“Yes, but I also want….”

“Good, it’s settled.”

“…Our son to have a normal life if he wants it.”

“But that’s boring. Who wants boring?”

“Your son.”

Tony sighed and looked to Peter. “You betray me.”

Peter turned to Pepper. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

“So what’s the verdict?” Natasha called from the couch, spitting some of the popcorn she had stuffed into her mouth. “What’s gonna happen with his runs?”

Tony spun around. “What are you still doing here?”

“Eating my popcorn,” she deadpanned, throwing another handful into her mouth.

Tony pinched the bridge of his nose. “Everyone here is going to be the death of me.” He turned to Peter. “So. From now on, you tell us everywhere you are going. You tell us when you stop. You tell us when you start. You tell us so much there is nothing left to our imagination. And if you don’t, I will assume you are in danger and chase you down and stop you from leaving this house until you’re thirty. Got it?”

Peter nodded. Oh thank goodness. He could live with that. That would give just enough freedom. Besides, he would be able to go out completely on his own at night as Spiderman.

Tony turned to glare at the two agents on the couch. “Everybody happy with that? Get enough entertainment?”

Natasha shook her head. She looked straight at Peter. “I wanna know what got you distracted.”

Shoot. She knew. There was no way that smirk was just out of curiosity. How had she placed it together with such little information? Or was it because it was her fault. He and her weird brain programming methods. She had to teach him some of her skills. Maybe he could learn to prevent her from reading him like an open book or stop himself from being manipulated like clay.

Peter looked between Tony and Pepper. “You know, there’s something I need to talk to you about.” He ignored Natasha’s intensifying gaze.

“Okay,” Pepper said skeptically. “What is it?”

“Well… um… okay… so… um….” 

He wasn’t quite sure where to start. He had to be careful with what he said. If he said the wrong thing, they would ask why he was wanting to go there, and he would divulge his chat with MJ, and then they would ask questions about why he talked to MJ, and he would have to explain that he had seen her before even though he wasn’t supposed to have left the house by himself before now, and then he would be in tons of trouble, and he could give up all hope of going to Midtown Tech.

“Okay. So, you know school, right?”

“Nope. Never heard of it.”

Pepper smacked Tony in the arm. “Yes. What about it? Are you having trouble with it?”

“Oh, no. It’s going great. I’m learning a lot. Bruce says he thinks I’m caught up for my age.”

Pepper smiled. “That’s great. I’m so proud of you. So, what’s the problem then?”

Peter ran his fingers through his hair nervously. “Okay, so you know how there are like, schools with lots of people that you can leave the house and go to?”

Tony opened his mouth, but Pepper smacked him again. “Yes. We both do.”

“And you were, like, saying I could go to one if I wanted?”

Pepper nodded slowly. She was starting to guess where this was going. “Yes.”

“And you know how I always said that I wanted to stay here, but you said I could change my mind at any time and let you know?”

“Blurt it out, kid,” Clint called from the couch.

Peter turned and sent him a glare. “Fine. I want to go to school.”

“No.”

“Tony!” Pepper yelled.

“I let him run. Is that not enough?”

“He needs to go to school. He needs to meet people his age. And now that he’s ready, we need to let him.”

“He can just stay here and make friends over the internet.”

“Oh, because that is so much safer.” Pepper turned to Peter, who was slightly panicking. “Don’t listen to him. He’s still in his overprotective, dramatic, sarcastic mode. We can just find out what school you want to go to and then….”

“Midtown School of Science and Technology.”

“Oh,” Pepper said. She seemed a little thrown off by his blunt decision. “Well. That makes that a whole lot easier.”

“But why that one?” Natasha chimed in from behind.

Why was she so set on destroying him? Quick. He needed an excuse. “I like science and technology.” There. That should suffice.

“Mmhmm.”

“Pepper, can I go?” He looked at her with wide eyes and his mouth slightly in a pout. He had learned that look would get him just about anything from the woman.

“I’ll see what I can do.”


	31. Chapter 31: First Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Peter Parker has officially arrived. Yay! He's only Parker when it comes to his school life, but still.
> 
> I know Peter is technically from the upper class in this since he is a Stark, but I like having him act more like he did in the movies. He's not acting like a rich kid because he is more comfortable being around all the other people and going along with them, since he went with the flow of the masses growing up. Also, it shows who he is and what matters to him - people, not money or status.
> 
> I take a few liberties with Ned's character. For the most part, Peter and Ned's relationship is like that in the movies. However, down the line, Ned does act out of character for plot reasons. To be fair, Peter was raised by aliens, so clearly I change things around for this story, lol. But still thought I would say it.
> 
> Side note. I'd just like to say that this portrayal of school is coming from someone who was homeschooled from kindergarten through twelfth grade. I only have a little bit of college experience, and that's been online. Therefore, this portrayal of private high school might be way off since I am solely going off movies and my friends' public school experiences.
> 
> Anyway. You're probably bored of reading all these notes by now, lol. So hope you enjoy Peter's first school experience!

“Do you have your lunch?”

“Yup.”

“And all your books?”

“Mmhmm.”

“And your phone? So we can keep in touch throughout the day?”

“I got everything I could possibly need. You can stop worrying.”

Peter was on his way to his first day of school. He had worked hard with Pepper to get here. There was a lot of paperwork due to his lack of schooling and how late it was in the year. Thankfully, some impressive physics and engineering work and a promise of great funding had been enough to get a Peter Parker into the school.

The Parker thing had been Pepper’s idea. She had pointed out that the Stark name would bring a lot of attention. Peter agreed that that wasn’t what he wanted, so they came up with the fake name.

Peter checked his phone. “Okay. I gotta go. Don’t want to be late on my first day.” He swung his bag over his shoulder and ran towards the elevator. “Bye, see you later.” 

“You better text me when you get there,” Tony called after him. “And between classes. And when you’re coming back. Or I will blow through a window and ask you in person. I know where you are.”

“Yeah, yeah. Love you too.”

On his way out, he saw Natasha standing at the door. He waved to her, but she was walking towards him. Just as he was about to tell her he didn’t have time to talk, she said, “Have fun. And just ask for her number already.”

Peter had no idea what she meant by that. Well, not no idea. He knew by ‘she’ she meant MJ. But what number was she talking about? Like a rank number? Or a house number? Both of those seemed a little too personal.

He ran to the bus station. Tony had wanted to drive him in a fancy sports car or have Happy take him in a limo. But that would have completely blown the whole Parker thing. After enough coaxing from Pepper, the man had grumpily relented.

Peter was so excited. The whole experience was so thrilling. He was finally ready to explore earth, and he was just now starting to see things from a normal person’s perspective. It was fascinating. He felt fully prepared. He even had his webshooters with him, just to be safe. 

This was going to be a great adventure. 

The bus ride was incredible. Well, not really. It was dirty and smelly and crowded. But he loved it. He liked this way of life. He was used to the crowded areas and the smelly people. That’s what he had known growing up. He didn’t understand why Tony wasn’t fond of this.

He sent his father a text as he got off the bus. He did not want Ironman barging into his school. He honestly couldn’t tell half the time if the man was joking around about that or not. He would rather be safe than sorry.

He took a deep breath as he stood before the school. This was it. There was no going back from this. He was starting his new life for the better. He stepped forward and pushed open the doors.

There were so many people. He was slightly overwhelmed. He shoved his way through the teenagers in the hallways until he found the school receptionist. She gave him the order of his classes, and she sent him to the first one. It was physics. This would be a cinch. He quickly found the room and took a seat near the back of the class.

A few students gave him sideways glances, but he was mainly ignored. He was fine with that. He thought it would be better for him not to stick out and be the center of attention. However, his teacher didn’t think that way.

She walked into the classroom and greeted everyone. As she did so, she scanned the classroom until her eyes locked onto Peter. “Everyone, we have a transfer student. Mister Parker. Why don’t you stand and tell us a little about yourself?”

Everyone turned and stared at him. Standing slowly, he felt his heartrate quicken and his palms begin to sweat. Flashes of him standing out, of being called out by Commander Harshin, of being bullied by the other trainees flooded his mind. He gulped and pushed them from his thoughts. He wasn’t there. He was starting over. Things would be different here. Everyone was human. He didn’t have that disadvantage. Everything would be better.

“Um. I’m Parker. Peter Parker. Um….” What else was he supposed to say?

“Where are you from?” the teacher asked nicely. She must have seen he was struggling.

“Well… uh… I was born here…. But then I… moved…. And now I’m back.”

“Well, we are glad to have you here. I’ve heard that you excel at physics and robotics. Would you like to tell a little about that? Anything you’ve made?”

“Oh… uh… well… I’ve made a lot of things. Like… um…” He could hear the other students starting to whisper, but he tried to zone them out. He would be fine. Everything would be fine. He just had to keep pushing forward. That’s what he was always told to do. “I made an earpiece that enhances hearing beyond natural human ability.” He knew that Tony had helped him a lot with that, but everything else he could think of revolved around him being Spiderman.

“Very interesting,” the teacher said. “That could do wonders for people. Especially those with impaired hearing.”

“Have you ever made your own robot?” one kid asked. “We could use another person in robotics club.”

“Oh. That sounds cool,” Peter said. 

Wow. He was being asked to join a club. He had dreamed of this all the time at the base. He had made his own club with Hisha and Chacklsli, but that just wasn’t the same. 

“I’ve never made one from scratch. Not yet anyway. But I used to repair a lot at the base.”

“The base?” the teacher asked.

Oh shoot. He had been too excited and didn’t think.

“Are you from a military family?”

“Yeah. Yeah I am.” Technically, he wasn’t lying. He had grown up with soldiers. And the Avengers might not exactly be military, but they were close enough to not be a total lie.

“Very interesting. Maybe you can tell us more about that another time,” the teacher suggested. “For now, we should start the lesson.”

Peter sat down. He sighed with relief. Why did his mouth keep betraying him? He needed to think through what he was saying better. He was going to get himself in a lot of trouble if he didn’t.

He enjoyed the rest of the class. Once he was no longer the center of attention, he could calm down. The work wasn’t very hard. He had been doing these equations for a while now, even before he got to earth. It was relaxing to do the problems. And he liked listening to the teacher’s voice. He liked being surrounded by other students who were learning. Well, most of them. There were a few who clearly didn’t want to be here, but he understood that. Everyone had their forte. This just might not be theirs.

When class ended, he waited for everyone to leave. They were all rushing out, and he didn’t feel like getting lost in the middle of it. He asked his teacher how to get to his next class – English – and she kindly directed him. It was a little harder to find this classroom, but he found it none the less.

As he walked into the room, he once again walked to the back of the classroom and claimed a seat. He started pulling out his book, but a hand slammed on the table. Peter looked up and found a boy glaring at him.

“Excuse me. Who are you, and what are you doing in my seat?”

“Oh… uh… I didn’t realize there were assigned seats.” He pushed his book back into his bag and slid out of the chair. “My apologies. Won’t happen again.”

“It better not,” the boy said.

Peter looked around at the empty seats. He had no idea which one he should take. How would he know if one was taken or not? He decided to ask. He didn’t want to make enemies on his first day. He had had enough of those on the base, and he did not want to go through that in his new life. 

He turned around to the boy whose seat he had took. “Um, could you tell me which seats aren’t taken since you seem to know?”

The boy looked up at him in absolute disgust. “Are you an idiot or something? Who are you anyway?”

Peter had to once again suppress memories from the base. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his mind. This boy wasn’t a Camolian. He wasn’t going to beat him up or get him in trouble. He would be fine. He could easily stand up for himself against this guy….

So why wasn’t he? He opened his mouth to defend himself, but nothing came out. He couldn’t force himself to speak. Why was this happening? He was beyond this. He had moved past this back at the base when he became a captain. But this wasn’t the base. Here, he might not be below everyone, but he wasn’t really above anyone either. And as far as he could tell, there was no chain of command. If there was, this boy was definitely above him. He would have to start all over here. He hadn’t thought of just what that entailed until this moment. It sort of scared him.

The boy seemed to be amused by his lack of response. “Wow. The school must be getting desperate if they take in charity cases. I mean, look at you.”

Peter looked at himself. He didn’t see anything wrong. He was wearing one of his favorite T-shirts that Pepper had gotten him. He was also wearing a pair of jeans and combat boots. Pepper kept trying to get him to wear tennis shoes, but they just felt weird. He felt unstable. Clint had let him try on a pair of his shoes one time during training to help his footing, and he had felt secure in those. Therefore, Pepper had relented and gotten him boots instead.

“What? You never seen yourself before, nerd? Get away from me. I don’t want anything to do with the likes of you.”

Peter stared at him. He didn’t understand what he had done to offend this guy. He hadn’t been aggressive. He hadn’t been threatening. He had apologized for taking the boy’s seat and moved. What was the problem? Because it definitely wasn’t him being weaker or smaller. In fact, he was definitely the superior one physically. This boy must have a lot of confidence to stand against someone who would clearly win in a fight.

Peter felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see another boy. “Don’t mind Flash,” the new boy said. “He’s a jerk.”

“Ohhh well if it isn’t the new loser duo,” Flash teased. “You two could be soulmates. Nerds forever.”

“Come on,” the friendly boy said, ignoring the taunts. “You can sit with me.” He walked to a pair of seats near the middle, and Peter followed him and sat down. “I’m Ned Leeds, by the way.” He held out his hand.

“Peter Parker. Nice to meet you.” He grasped the hand and shook it. He was so glad Pepper had finally told him what to do with the outstretched hand when she was instructing him on etiquette. Peter turned to look at Flash out of the corner of his eye. “Is he always like that?”

“Unfortunately,” Ned replied. “You better get used to it. Hate to break it to you, but you’re sorta doomed now that you’re sitting with me.”

“Why? You seem cool to me.”

Ned smiled. “Thanks, dude. But most people don’t see it that way. They just see me as a weird, lonely nerd.”

“Well, I’d rather be with a weird lonely nerd than him.”

The English class went well. Once again, Peter was called up to speak about himself, which he hated. This time, he told that he was born here, moved overseas with his military family, and had come back to live here. He had learned a lot about science and machines while he was at the military bases. He figured he might as well just go with his previous lie and try and make it believable. He didn’t want different stories to contradict each other. That would cause problems.

When the class was over, he walked to lunch with Ned.

“You can sit with me again, if you want,” Ned suggested. “I usually sit by myself. But you seem cool enough to sit with me. And since you’re new and don’t know anybody, you won’t have to go through the awkward trying to find a seat deal.”

Peter looked around the room. “That sounds great, Ned. But I actually do know someone else here. Maybe we could all sit together?”

Ned seemed a little shocked and disappointed, but he nodded. “Sure. Where is he? Do you see him?”

“Her,” Peter corrected. “And not yet.”

They searched for a few minutes for MJ, but she was nowhere to be seen. Ned said she might have a different lunch time. 

Peter was pretty disappointed. He had really wanted to see her. Just because he had told her he was going to the school. Not because of anything else. No. He was over that weird feeling. He just wanted to show her he wasn’t a liar and make good his promise to see her. After all, it seemed like he was being an outcast just as she said she was. He figured he, MJ, and Ned could all get along well. But oh well.

Ned and Peter found a seat by themselves, and they began to talk. Peter really liked this guy. He sensed they could be good friends. They sat beside each other at the next class as well, which Peter was happy about.

Unfortunately, they had to depart ways after that. They bid each other farewell, saying they would see each other the next day.

To Peter’s dismay, he saw Flash in the next class. He tried to avoid the boy. He didn’t feel comfortable with him. Plus, he didn’t want to get involved in any trouble. This was his new start. He wasn’t going to become known as a problem starter, and he felt like that would happen if he interacted with the bully. Flash kept trying to goad him into turning around by calling him names and tossing things at him, but Peter zoned it out.

Rumors spread around the school very quickly. Everyone seemed to be fabricating rumors about him and his past. Especially since the only people he talked directly to were Ned and Flash. He ignored the rumors, but he did find them amusing.

When the day ended, Peter walked out of the school with the rest of the students. He started walking towards the bus stop. He heard Flash yelling after him, saying something about him being poor if he had to ride the bus. Peter chuckled to himself. If only this guy knew who his father was.

Speaking of which, he pulled out his phone and texted Tony, telling him that he was about to head home. He was sure he would be bombarded with questions once he got


	32. Chapter 32: I Heard a Rumor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the rumor thing might be blown a little out of proportion, but I find it amusing and had fun writing it. It also makes a few more connections to the typical Peter Parker - even if they are solely in rumors. 
> 
> I hope it's fun to read too.
> 
> And for those of you who love some MJ moments, don't worry. She'll be back really soon.

“Soooo. How was school?”

“It was good. I liked it a lot,” Peter replied. He walked to the kitchen and started rummaging through the fridge.

“Oh, no. You’re not leaving me with just that,” Tony said as he followed his son.

“Okay.” Peter started to make himself a sandwich. “I really liked the ride there and back. The bus was fun.”

“Did you just say that taking the dirty New York bus was fun?” Tony interjected. “Pete, no. Fancy sports cars are fun. Buses are boring and smelly and crowded and….”

“And are great to watch people and see different walks of life,” Peter added. “I like seeing the diversity. And I don’t care what people think of me for it. I find it fascinating and enjoyable. And I intend to keep taking it.” He took a forceful bite out of his now complete snack.

Tony sighed. “Clearly, you’re just too young to understand the better things of life. We’ll just have to wait until that frontal lobe’s fully developed. Then, you’ll join my side.”

“And together we can rule the galaxy? As father and son?” Peter smirked as he quoted the movie. Tony had introduced him to Star Wars a few nights ago. He said he thought Peter would like it. Which he did. It was awesome.

“Exactly. Galactic domination. The ultimate Stark goal.” Tony pulled out a stool and sat on it. “So. Besides the fact that you have no taste in style, what else did you learn?”

Peter cringed at the comment. It reminded him of what Flash had said about his appearance. He didn’t know why that bothered him. He had been picked on for his appearances for most of his life. He supposed it was different now that he was surrounded by humans. He had thought they would accept his looks no matter what. That’s how everyone in the tower had been. But apparently that wasn’t everyone.

“You okay, kiddo?”

Peter shook his head. “Oh. Yeah. Just thinking. Uh. I learned some stuff about writing in English class. That was good. I needed help on that.”

“Well that’s good. You can always ask for help here. Pepper would be good with that. I, however, am not. I make her write everything for me. The advantages of marrying the CEO of your company.”

Peter finished eating, so he plopped up on the counter beside Tony. “I also learned rumors spread very quickly, and I apparently have a very tragic past.”

Tony looked at him with concern. “What did you tell them? Please tell me you didn’t say you were abducted by aliens and brainwashed. That is not going to go over well. I would rather not have my only son sent to a fancy white room with padded walls where you can hug yourself.”

Peter shook his head. “No. I knew better than that. I said I was born here and moved away for a while. I accidently slipped up and talked about being on a base, so I said that I grew up in a military family. I thought that might actually work in my favor in case any of my soldier tendencies show up.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t seem that bad to me.”

“Oh, no. What I said wasn’t. It was what people relayed and exaggerated that was tragic.”

“This sounds promising.”

“So, on my bus ride back, I decided to check the school website just to see what was on it. You know. Check it out. Find out where everything was. Anyway, I found a section where there were a lot of rumors, and my name caught my eye.”

“Oh boy.”

“So, between my first period an now, I somehow managed to go from the simple new kid who moved to New York to the tragic orphan who grew up on military bases and was forced to work for the government since birth until my special agent parents were killed on a top secret mission so I had to move to Queens where I now live with my aunt.”

Tony stared at him. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“Nope.”

“How in the world did you manage that lie?”

“I didn’t. I’m telling you, it all came from rumors. That’s exactly why I went in as Peter Parker and not Peter Stark. Can you imagine how much worse it would have been if they knew I had actually been missing for this long and was the son of Ironman? Rumors would have gone rampant.”

“But then it would be more fun cause it would be about me.”

“Fun for you. I’m the one who has to face these people every day.”

“Speaking of which, you find everyone aggregable? Or at least as agreeable as teenagers can be? Make friends and everything?”

Peter thought about telling Tony about Flash, but he quickly dismissed the notion. He knew Tony would blow it out of proportion and take matters into his own hands… or gauntlets. No. He wanted to take care of this on his own. He had done that against all odds at the Alliance base. He was sure he could do it here. And if not, he would learn to live with it.

“Yeah. I met this guy named Ned. He’s really cool.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Mmhmm. He liked Star Wars too. And he likes to build things. He says he’s really good with legos. Those block things in the game Clint and I play all the time. I’ve never played with them in real life, but he made them sound really fun when we talked at lunch.”

“Interesting. Maybe you could bring him over some time. I wouldn’t mind meeting a friend of yours. Just keep him out of my lab.”

Peter smiled. “I bet he would like that. He talked a lot about the Avengers too. But, unfortunately, that would not align with me being a poor orphan boy from Queens.”

“Hold up,” Tony held up his hands to stop the boy. “Did you just say poor?”

“Oh yeah. Did I forget to mention that part?” Peter chuckled at the pained look on Tony’s face. “My aunt has to work multiple jobs to keep me alive because we are so poor we can barely function. The only reason I was accepted at Midtown Tech was because the school board viewed me as a charity case.”

“How are you okay with this?” Tony asked in absolute horror. “Your reasoning is beyond me. It makes no logical sense. You’re even encouraging it by taking the bus. Please, let me send you in a limo with Happy.”

“Nope. I like it the way it is. Besides. I’m used to people talking about me behind my back.”

“You’re insane.”

“It’s genetic.”

The kitchen air-vent opened, causing the two Starks to turn towards the noise. Clint’s torso poked out of the hole. “What about girls?” he said, staring directly at Peter.

“First off,” Tony said. “This is a private conversation. Eavesdropping is not polite, Mister Wall Mole. And Second, there is a perfectly good door right there.” He pointed to the kitchen entrance.

Clint slid out of the vent onto the counter. He popped the grate back into place before hopping to the ground. “Yes, but my way is much more fun. Besides, I was hiding from Nat.”

“Ohhhhh, that’s why you brought up girls,” Peter mumbled.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Tony questioned, looking between the two.

Before Clint could say anything compromising, Peter replied. “Natasha has been very interested on my relationships with girls.” He turned to Clint. “Of which there is none.”

“Whatever you say.” Clint clapped the boy on the back before walking over to the fridge.

Peter turned to Tony. “I have to go do some homework.”

“Have fun frying your brain,” the man replied. “If you need some real entertainment, come down to the lab with me.”

“Maybe later.”

Peter finished his homework quickly enough. He worked in the lab with Tony and Bruce on some new invention they were designing. It was a lot more fun than the homework. After a while, they left and ate with everyone else as they normally did. Everyone asked about Peter’s day, and he told them everything they wanted to know. Except Natasha. She just stared at him, silently asking about MJ. But he had nothing to say on that matter anyway, so he ignored her.

As they all sat and watched the news together, Peter sat and sketched. He was working on a picture of that park he went to. With a pretty girl reading on a bench. With a dog. Because that was definitely his favorite part of that park and why he returned so often. It was completely irrational to think about some girl he had only talked to once. Even if it had been a really nice talk. It didn’t matter what Natasha said.

Something on the news caught his attention. It was about Spiderman. Apparently, people were nervous since he had not been seen since the building incident.

He knew he should probably have gone out before now, but he just hadn’t been able to. He had been recovering, and then Tony had been looking over his shoulder 24/7, and then he had been busy getting ready for school. But now, he had time.

He bid everyone goodnight and went up to his room. He slipped into his suit and asked JARVIS to open the window. When he had been on bedrest, he had asked Tony to make his window open. He had claimed it was due to him missing fresh air and the breeze. Tony had gladly done so.

Peter dove out the window and started his patrol. Wow. He had missed this. The speed. The wind. The thrill. It had been too long.

He didn’t do much. There weren’t any major problems to take care of. Just the normal small stuff. But he did hear shouts and see a lot of people pointing at him. It was more than usual, but that didn’t surprise him. His great feat followed by his long absence was sure to make more people notice him.

After his patrol, he slipped back through his open window and got ready to sleep. As he crawled into bed, he thought about his day. Overall, it had been a good day. Some bumps here and there, but he would get past it.

He was so glad he was starting over with this new life.


	33. Chapter 33: Girls and the Gym

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MJ's back! 
> 
> And the gym teacher is like my favorite person. I love him so much. He cracks me up. I know in reality he would be a horrible teacher, but that's what makes it funny.
> 
> Enjoy!

Peter walked into the classroom and sat in his seat. He reached into his bag to get his homework. Beside him, he heard Ned sit down.

“Dude, why didn’t you tell me how sad your life was? It’s insane. You should have told me so I didn’t say anything stupid. Did I say anything stupid? I’m so sorry if I did.”

Peter sighed as he turned to face his friend. He didn’t really care what everyone else thought, but he wanted his friend to have an accurate view of him. Well, as accurate as it could be. “What did you hear?”

“It’s all over the school blog. You’re literally famous. I mean, it’s pretty sad that you’re famous over your parent’s dying and living in the military for so long and now you live with your aunt. But like, it’s awesome how famous you are. I couldn’t even imagine.”

“So, how many people are seeing this exactly? Like, I know the whole school, but can anyone else see it too?” Peter could not believe how fast rumors spread. There was very little gossip back on Camolia. It was not tolerated. Everyone was viewed as one unit. Your past didn’t really matter. Plus, he didn’t want the whole world to hear his story. That would ruin his whole trying to be normal thing.

“Oh, yeah. Everybody can see it. I’m surprised you’re even still talking to me with all the attention you’re gonna get.”

Peter placed his hand on Ned’s shoulder. “I would rather be with you than a bunch of people who only talk to me cause of some rumors.”

Ned looked touched. “Thanks, dude.” He paused. “Wait. Rumors?”

“Yes, Ned. Don’t believe everything you hear.”

Ned sighed. “Oh, that’s so good. I mean, not that people are spreading rumors, but that all that stuff didn’t happen to you. So. What’s the truth?”

“I live with my parents and… extended family, in New York. I am not poor. My dad had a field day over that part of the rumor.”

Ned looked slightly disappointed. “So no cool, special agent family members? Or super cool aunt?”

“Well….” Peter wasn’t exactly sure whether he should say anything or not. But he decided he trusted Ned. Might as well have one person know the truth. “Technically, there are two super agents I live with. But, no. No aunt.”

“Woah. So cool.”

The teacher walked in, and the two boys dropped the conversations for the time being. 

When they went to lunch, Peter looked for MJ again. His heart swelled as he saw what looked like the back of her head sitting at an otherwise empty table. A strange feeling twisted in his stomach. It must had just been because he was hungry.

Peter tried to walk towards her with Ned hot on his trail, but people kept getting in his way. The two boys ended up being shoved to a table where Peter was forced to repeatedly debunk the ridiculous rumors. This was getting very frustrated. He suddenly realized how glad he was that Natasha forced him to wear a mask all that time ago. If the rumors about some nobody boy went so far out of proportion, he didn’t even want to think about what would happen if they knew he was Spiderman. And a Stark. He would rather die than face that much attention.

By the time he was done crushing everyone’s view of him, MJ was gone.

Peter felt his chest tighten at the realization. This was stupid. Why was he feeling like this? He was disappointed at not seeing her. Why? Why was he disappointed? It wasn’t like they were super close. Besides, he had Ned now. In that moment, he made a vow to himself to get rid of all stupid feelings regarding this girl. She was too much trouble.

This vow was very short lived.

Today, Ned and Peter had gym class together, which they were super excited about. Well, Peter was excited about the class. Ned was simply excited about being with Peter. As they walked into the gymnasium, Peter looked up, and there she was. MJ sat in the middle of the bleachers, face buried in a book.

He smiled. That feeling was returning. But he wasn’t hungry anymore. This was stupid. He would just have to ignore it. Hopefully he wasn’t dying. He would just blame the feeling on Natasha somehow. That seemed like logical reasoning.

Peter grabbed Ned by the arm and pulled him towards the girl.

“Woah, woah,” Ned protested to being dragged. “What are you doing? And don’t walk this fast in front of the gym teacher. Then, he’ll make you work harder during class.”

“I don’t care,” Peter replied without as much as a glace over his shoulder. His eyes were locked on the girl. “I’m not leaving you, but I’m not losing her a second time today.”

“Lose who? Your friend? The one I haven’t met yet?”

“Yeah. And you’re about to.”

Peter started climbing the steps until he was at the same level as MJ. He walked over to her. “Hey, MJ.”

The girl looked up from her book. “Peter. Wow. You actually did make it here.” She leaned forward and looked behind him. “Sup, Edward.”

“Edward?” Peter spun around to his friend in confusion. “I thought your name was Ned?”

“It is. That’s what I go by. But, my first name is technically Edward.” He gave a small, awkward nod to MJ. “Hey, Michelle.”

“So, cool you two know each other already,” Peter said looking between the two.

“Yeah. We’re on the decathlon team together,” Ned replied.

“Oh. Cool.”

“How do you two know each other?” Ned asked as he gestured between Peter and MJ.

“We met at a park while I was running.”

“He stalked me.”

“Wow. Crazy world.” Ned chuckled awkwardly.

Peter plopped down beside the girl. “By the way, all the rumors you’ve heard are fake.”

“What rumors?” MJ flipped a page in her book and kept reading.

“What do you mean? I thought everyone knew.”

“I don’t talk to people. I simply observe. And gossip is something I don’t care to observe. And if you’re about to say it’s on the school blog, I don’t pay attention to that either. I rarely get on the internet. To many dark and sketchy people. I’d much rather read about them than interact with them.”

“Oh. Okay. Cool.”

Peter was partially relieved that MJ hadn’t heard the rumors. He didn’t want her perception of him to be skewed. And he didn’t feel like explaining himself anymore.

The gym teacher, who clearly didn’t want to be there, cleared his throat, gaining everyone’s attention. Except MJ, who was still reading her book.

“Okay. Y’all know the drill. I have to show these videos. It’s required by state. Let’s do it.”

Peter grabbed his water bottle and took a sip of water. He wanted to make sure he was ready for this. He was excited for the physical education class. He was sure this would be great. Just like back at the base. Except the standards would be lower since everyone was human. So, it would be even better. He would be on the same level as everyone, so they could all work together and have fun.

The teacher turned on the TV beside him and hit a button. A video started.

“Hi. I’m Captain America.”

Peter spit the water out of his mouth, showering the people in front of them. They turned around and complained as he profusely apologized.

“What was that for?” Ned asked.

“Nothing. I’m sorry. It just went down the wrong way.”

Peter caught MJ eyeing him suspiciously, but he turned back to the TV screen.

Sure enough, Captain America was on the screen. It took everything in him not to bust out laughing. He was going to talk to Steve about this for sure.

“…Today, my good friend, your gym teacher, will be conducting the Captain America fitness challenge.”

Oh good. He worked out with Steve all the time. He loved when they went on runs or lifted weights together. Although, he was confused as to why a school was teaching a superhero workout for regular teenagers. Even most of the Avengers couldn’t keep up with his fitness level. That was half the fun of it. It was always amusing to see anybody walk in on them and immediately get annoyed and turn around.

“First, we will start with the sit-ups portion.”

What in the world was a sit-up? Steve had never taught him that.

The gym teacher blew a whistle. “Let’s do this. Everybody find a partner. And before you even think about it, girls with girls, and boys with boys.”

There was a lot of groaning as everyone stood up and went to the mats. Peter and Ned went together. Ned agreed to go first. He laid down on the mat. Peter looked around and saw that he was supposed to be holding Ned’s legs. He copied everyone else. Ned started doing this weird bending at the torso thing. It looked stupid, but that’s what everyone was doing. What was the point of this? How could this possibly help anyone in any real situation?

Soon enough, everyone switched. Peter started doing the sit-ups. They were very easy.

“Woah, new kid,” the gym teacher called. “This ain’t the Olympics. This is PE. Ain’t nobody here that energetic at PE.”

Peter didn’t understand why doing well was so absurd, but he slowed down. Everyone seemed to be annoyed by him doing better than them, and he didn’t want to make enemies. 

They moved on to pull-ups. Now these he knew how to do. He did them all the time. Even back on Camolia, he used them to build up his strength for climbing. He hopped right up to the bar and started effortlessly moving his body up and down.

“Kid. What on earth? This isn’t the military. Stop showing off.”

Once again, Peter didn’t understand. He still slowed down as was expected of him. But why was literally everyone struggling with this stuff? It was so easy.

They moved on to squats. This time, Peter took the hint and did them slowly. He even threw in a few faces of exertion to make it believable. It was ridiculous, but the teacher and other students seemed satisfied.

Finally, they started running. All they had to do was sprint from one side of the room to the other and then run back. It was a very short distance. Well, compared to what he was used to, anyway. He was sure he could cover it in no time. Even when he slowed down to please the teacher.

The whistle blew, and Peter took off at a painfully slow pace. This was still fun. At least he wasn’t sitting at a desk. He made it to the end of the room and turned around for the reverse trip. He nearly tripped when he saw that most of the kids had only gone about half-way at most. He watched them gawk and glare at him as he ran past.

The teacher loudly put down his clipboard. “I give up. Do what you want, Superman.”

When class was over, Ned walked up to him. The boy was very out of breath. “How… did… you do that? You really… were trained… by special agents. That… was not… natural.”

“Yeah. I’ve heard that one before.”

Peter looked around in an attempt to spot MJ. He had wanted to say bye and tell her they would try and eat with her at lunch tomorrow. To his disappointment, she was already gone. How did she sneak around like that? It was creepy.

When school let out, Peter walked out of the building. Flash drove by him, calling him some more names. Peter let it slide. At least this guy wasn’t doing anything physical. Back on Camolia, he had to worry more about getting beat up than he did here.

Peter took out his phone and texted Tony, telling him he was going to run home. He was still energized from PE. It had done nothing to get rid of his abounding energy. In fact, it had amplified it by tricking him into thinking he needed more than he did. 

One the way home, he kept a look out for any trouble. He might as well while he was out. He didn’t see anything. That was good, but also disappointing. He had hoped for some action. Oh well.

When he got home, he went straight to the common room kitchen, just as he had done the day prior. This time, there was a sandwich on a plate awaiting him. He eagerly walked up and bit into it.

“How’d it go?” Tony asked from the corner of the room. Steve stood facing him. It looked like they had been talking about something when he walked in.

“It was… interesting,” he replied. At the look on the men’s faces, he quickly added. “Nothing bad. Just, still not quite used to life on earth.”

“Take it from a guy whose been around for a while,” Steve said. “None of us do.”

Peter chuckled. “Good to know.” He smiled mischievously as he turned back to face the blonde. “By the way. Thanks for that Captain America fitness test. My life would never have been complete without sit-ups.”

Steve looked at him in a mix of horror and embarrassment. “No. They are not still showing those, are they?”

Peter nodded, his smile only growing.

“I’m going to have a talk with that school.” Steve quickly exited the room, mumbling to himself.

Tony and Peter turned to each other. As soon as they made eye contact, they both bust out laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sooooo excited for the next chapter! I've been waiting for ages to give it to you guys! Bit of action, bit of mystery, bit of foreshadowing, bit of mother/son bonding. All around, such a good one. I really hope you'll like it. It should be up on Thursday. Until then, hope you all have a good few days!


	34. Chapter 34: Strange Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy this chapter is finally here! I've been looking forward to it for so long. Even when I was writing, I was super excited to get to this point.
> 
> Anyway, let me know what you think about it! We've been working on a lot of typical Spiderman/MCU stuff, so I'm excited for some original stuff now. I hope you enjoy!

Peter swung back towards the tower. He had been on a rather uneventful patrol. He wished he could stay out later, but he knew he needed at least a couple hours of sleep to function at school the next day. He’d learned that through trial and error.

He had been hoping for something exciting to happen. Not that it was exactly good if there was something exciting because that usually meant a lot of people would be hurt. But he wanted something to take his mind off things. And boring patrols did nothing but provide even more time to think.

Tomorrow was his adoption day. The day his Camolian mother had taken him in as her own. The day they had found a family in each other. They always celebrated that day.

He knew it was foolish to dwell on it. He had started his new life, and he wouldn’t change it for the world. But that didn’t erase the feeling in his chest when he thought about his mother. She had done so much for him. Even when he was gone, she had done so much to find him and then showed the world the truth about him. He never would have known who he was and why he turned out this way without her. And if that had never happened, he never would have accepted his place here with the Avengers. He owed his mother so much, and he couldn’t even thank her.

He thought back on the promise he made her. He had broken that promise. He hadn’t come back to her, and he hadn’t been safe. He had put her through so much. She had taken so much persecution for bringing him in. But she became the epitome of strength, never letting any of those words stop her from her goals. She raised him to the best of her abilities. She was the best role model he had could have wished for for most of his life.

He wished he was more like her. He wished he didn’t let people push him around. Especially the kids at school like Flash. He could easily stand up for himself, but he didn’t. He just let them make fun of him and call him names. He felt like he was dishonoring his mother somehow by that, but he just couldn’t bring himself to stop it. Not on his own will, anyway.

Peter stopped. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. That wasn’t a good sign. As he looked around, he spotted a pitch-black alley. There was a rustling coming from it. Now every hair on his body was on end, shivers running up and down his spine. Something was definitely going on there, and it wasn’t good.

He swung into the alley. He couldn’t see a thing. He pulled a tiny flashlight out of his pocket. Thank goodness he had brought that. Never knew what you might need on a patrol. He searched the area but didn’t find anything suspicious. In fact, there was nothing there that could have even made a sound like that. This was odd.

His foot tapped something. He looked down. A strange orb lay on the ground. He squatted down to get a closer look, taking great care not to touch it. He had seen enough movies to know that was an invitation for disaster. 

He hadn’t seen anything like it. It seemed to have a black, crystalline center with a hive-like, silver outer casing.

He stared at it. Why did this give him a sense of… familiarity? And dread. Great dread. He felt cold chills sweep through his body. Every fiber of his being suddenly screamed at him to leave.

He backed away from the alley, still looking at the orb. Suddenly, it started to glow. 

Peter froze. His mind was still screaming at him to leave, but his body wouldn’t respond. His heart was pounding so loudly that he couldn’t hear anything else. It was getting hard to focus. The light was getting brighter. It was pulsating now. He wanted to leave. He knew he needed to leave. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t make himself. The light just kept working its way into his mind. He could feel it. He had no idea what it was doing, but it was not normal. He felt his body tingling, but he couldn’t tell if that was from adrenaline or whatever the light was doing.

And then it stopped. Peter was left in the darkness. He collapsed to the ground, too weak to stand upright. He panted heavily. His heartrate gradually slowed. His senses returned to him.

He looked around, seeing if anyone else had seen it as well. No one. That was probably for the best. 

When he felt he could move without toppling over, he rose and walked to the orb. He aimed his web shooters at it and started wrapping it like a spider encasing its prey. Once he was satisfied, he threw it into a garbage can and threw some trash on top of it. Hopefully, no one would find it.

Peter was rapidly overcome by exhaustion. He needed to get home. He ran out of the alleyway and swung to the tower. After tumbling through the window, he stripped out of his suit, threw it under the bed, and climbed under the covers. 

His head had barely hit the pillow before he fell asleep….

There was a bright light. He could hear himself screaming. But it wasn’t him. It was a baby. Screaming in pain. There were needles. And pricks. He could feel the pain. The horror. The cold. It was overwhelming. He thought he would never escape it.

And now, he was looking up at his mother. His loving mother who took him in when no one else would. She held him with long, clawed arms. But he felt safe.

Until it wasn’t his mother. Fear flooded through him and there was more screaming. He was stripped from his mother by a strange grey creature. It was large. Even larger than the Camolians. And it evoked fear in all who looked upon it. They worshiped it. They had to if they wanted to survive.

The creature was stripping him away. Farther and farther. He was sinking. He was scared. He was alone. He wanted his mother. But not that fake mother. Nor his Camolian mother. He was screaming for his real mother. His earth mother. Nothing else would do. But she wasn’t coming. He could feel it. He was alone. And abandoned. No one knew where he was. He had no hope. No one was coming. He was screaming in pain. He couldn’t escape this pain. The cold. These things. This bright, never-ending light….

Peter’s eyes flew open. He was lying in a pool of his own sweat. His body was ridged and shaking in terror. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe. He felt paralyzed.

What was that? He had had nightmares before, but nothing like that. That hadn’t even felt like a dream. It had felt like… a memory. But that was impossible. None of that had happened.

So why was he so scared?

Peter changed out of his sweaty sleepwear and pulled on some training clothes. He knew he wasn’t going back to sleep after that. Might as well do something productive and clear his head. He headed down to the training area. When he stepped into the room, he heard one of the treadmills running. He walked towards it and found none other than Pepper.

Peter recalled the loneliness and longing for his mother he had just experienced in his dream. Sure, it had just been his subconscious, but that didn’t mean traces of those emotions didn’t remain. He walked to the treadmill beside her and stepped on.

Pepper turned to looked at him. She gasped in surprise. Pulling out a pair of earbuds, she spoke between breathes. “What are you doing up this early? And down here to run, none the less. You need sleep.”

“Eh.” Peter shrugged as he programmed the treadmill to the same speed Pepper was going. It was painfully slow, but he didn’t feel like going fast anyway. He didn’t think his body would allow him to go fast. And he didn’t feel like making this a competition either. “Sleep is over-rated.”

“Cardio is overrated,” Pepper replied. “I don’t know how you do so much of it.”

“Practice. And a little unnatural help.” Flashes of that unnatural, grey alien leapt into his mind, but he shook them away. They didn’t mean anything. It wasn’t real.

“Well, maybe you could give me some tips. How did you get faster and learn to run easier?”

“I pushed myself to the point where I physically could not move another step and often collapsed. Then I waited until I could partly function, and I did it again. Eventually, the limit to failure lengthened, and my natural speed increased.”

“That does not sound fun.”

“It wasn’t.”

“I think I’ll just stay slow, if that’s okay.”

Peter laughed. “You can always just get me or Steve to run and carry you. That would speed things up.”

“Oh, yes. That sounds like my kind of exercise.”

They ran side by side for about thirty minutes. Then, Pepper checked her phone and saw the time. She stopped her treadmill, and Peter did the same.

“Tell you what. You go get a shower so you won’t be sweaty all day at school. I’ll start making breakfast. It’ll be ready when you get out. Sound good?”

Peter nodded. “Great, actually.”

Pepper smiled. “Good. Now, go along. Just ‘cause I love you doesn’t mean I like to smell you.”

Peter gazed at Pepper as she gathered her things. She was so sweet. So loving. She always put him first, no matter how much of an inconvenience it was to her. She always looked out for his best interest. She never left him. She loved him. She showed she loved him. She told him she loved him. He was never scared of her. He knew she was never going to hurt him or withhold anything he needed. She would never withhold affection either. She was his mother. His real mother. She was the one he had longed for all along, even when he didn’t realize it. And she wasn’t going anywhere.

Pepper turned to see her staring at her. Her faced morphed into one of concern. “Are you okay, Peter?” she asked as she stepped towards him.

“Yeah. It’s just….” Flashes encompassed his mind of his Camolian mother holding him. Him being pulled away. That baby screaming.

Pepper placed her hand on his cheek, pulling him back to reality. “Talk to me.”

Peter dropped his gaze to his feet. He paused. “You know, today was my adoption day. Back on Camolia.” He dared to glance at Pepper’s face.

She looked at him with sadness. “I had no idea.” She tilted her head as she started to think. “But that doesn’t make any sense. You went missing much later in the year than this.”

Peter shrugged. “Well, they must have kept me at the base for a while or something.” Peter sighed, and Pepper squeezed his arm comfortingly. “I just find it hard to believe she is gone. She did so much for me. Even when I was gone. And I’ll never get to properly thank her, you know?”

The woman pulled him into a hug. “I know, baby. I know how hard it is to lose someone you love. I’m so sorry.”

They stood like that for some time, just finding comfort in each other’s sweaty embrace. Peter finally spoke. “Hey, Pepper.”

“Mmhmm?”

“I’m glad you’re my mom.”

He felt her grip on him tighten. “I love you so much.” Her voice cracked with emotion.

“I love you too, Mom.”

They pulled apart and looked at each other lovingly. Then, Pepper smacked him with her towel. “Go. Shower. Now.”

Peter showered and then ate breakfast with Pepper. Tony wasn’t up yet, so it was just the two of them up on their floor. Peter liked it. It was quiet and peaceful. Something he rarely got. He finished his food and grabbed his bag, calling out his goodbye. He was about to run out the door when he stopped. He turned around, walked to Pepper, and kissed her on the cheek. She was surprised by the action, but she smiled at him. Then he left and ran to the bus station.

Peter barely made it into his physics class on time. He zoned out for most of the lesson. He kept having those strange flashes, which made it very hard to focus on anything the teacher was saying. He still did the work though. It didn’t take much concentration for him to do that part.

As he was walking into his English class, he missed Flash standing by his desk. The boy put his foot out, and Peter went crashing to the floor. The contents of his bag spilled everywhere as he faceplanted painfully on the ground.

“Oh, my goodness. Peter? Are you okay?” He could hear Ned coming towards him from the door.

Flash squatted in front of him. “My apologies. Did I trip you, loser? You should really wake up and watch your step.” He stood up and walked to his seat.

Peter pushed himself off the ground as Ned reached him. “I’m fine. I’ve survived much, much worse.”

“I can’t believe he did that,” Ned said as he helped gather Peter’s belongings.

“I can. He’s a jerk.”

“Yeah. Hey. What are these?”

Peter looked over to see Ned holding his webshooters. He snatched them out of his friend’s hands. “Nothing. Just, something I made.”

Ned eyed him. “So nothing is a something? Very convincing.”

“It’s a secret.”

“Even from your best friend?”

“You know how I grew up with a military family?” Peter knew that would get him to leave it be.

Ned’s eyes went wide. “Woah. Yeah. Okay.” He made a lips-shut motion.

They got into their seats as the teacher walked into the room. The second the man started talking, Peter knew he was doomed. It was so monotone yet so relaxing. He tried to focus. He really did. But he couldn’t hold on. His lack of rest was finally catching up with him big time.

Peter leaned his cheek onto his hand. Just closing his eyes couldn’t hurt for a second, right?


	35. Chapter 35: Detention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My two favorite girls are back! Yay!
> 
> I have no idea how detention works, but I threw a whole bunch of things I've seen in shows and movies together, and I think it turned out well. If not, at least it works for my story, lol.
> 
> Also, I don't have any psychological or therapy-related professional knowledge, so whenever I say anything along those lines, don't take it seriously. I am just making it up for plot reasons.
> 
> Hope you like it!

“Mister Parker!”

Peter jumped straight out of his chair, knocking everything on the desk to the floor. Shoot. He had fallen asleep. Again.

“Mister Parker. This is unacceptable. This is the fourth time just this week. Do I bore you somehow?”

Yes. 

“No, sir.”

“Well then, please explain to me why every teacher you have has been complaining about you repeatedly falling asleep for the past week.”

Peter hung his head. He hadn’t been sleeping at home. Like, at all. He couldn’t. He would lie down to sleep, but he would get so terrified of those dreams returning that he couldn’t. He would either go out as Spiderman or go train. And that only made him more tired.

“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“You see, that’s what you said last time. And yet here we are. I’m going to give you detention. And I will have to notify your parents of this and see if we can fix this problem. If you have a phone, please let one of them know after class that they need to come to the school after your detention is finished. Understand?”

Peter nodded.

As he sat down in his seat, he leaned down and picked up his books and papers. He could hear the other students snickering and whispering. When he sat up, he saw Ned sending him a sympathetic grin. He returned it.

When the class was over, he pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts. He knew he couldn’t call Tony. That would be a disaster on multiple levels. He didn’t want to tell Pepper because she was busy with her work. And that would give away his real identity. He didn’t feel like bringing Steve would be wise. He was sure someone would recognize him. Clint was at his secret farmhouse. Peter still didn’t understand why he was the only one who knew about the Barton family, but he was going to respect the man’s privacy and time. He wasn’t even sure if Bruce had his phone on him. He usually didn’t. And there was no way he would be asking Thor to do anything with him.

That left Natasha.

He sent her a quick text. 

Got in trouble. Have detention. Need you to pretend to be my mom and pick me up after.

He quickly sent another text. 

Don’t tell dad yet.

Better safe than sorry.

At lunch, Ned finally spoke about the topic. “Are you okay, man? I mean, you’ve been super out of it lately. Everything good outside of school?”

Peter stared at his friend. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say. He couldn’t go into everything, could he? Surely, he would be judged, and then he wouldn’t have a friend anymore. 

But as he looked at his friend, he realized that might not be the case. Ned really seemed to care. And more importantly, he was willing to listen. And he wouldn’t report whatever he said to Tony.

“Not really. I’ve been having these really awful dreams lately. Like, the kind where you’re scared to go to sleep. And so I don’t. By the time I get to school, I’m so exhausted I can’t stay awake.”

“Wow. That’s rough.” Ned seemed really concerned. His face scrunched as he started to think. “Have you told your parents or super spy family? I bet they would know how to handle nightmares like that.”

Peter shook his head. “I just, I can’t do that. They’ll get all worried about me, and then they’ll probably pull me out of school or something. I don’t know. I just feel like I have to take care of it on my own. I don’t want to be viewed as a kid.”

“But you are a kid.”

“That’s not the point. I’ve spent a lot of my life facing problems and having to force my way forward. I know I don’t have to anymore, but I feel like I have to prove that I still can. Not to them, but to myself. You know?”

“I guess that makes sense.” Ned started eating his food, staring off in thought. When an idea hit him, he snapped his fingers. “Why don’t you come over to my house? I’ve heard for stuff like that it helps to break your sleep pattern. I have no idea if it works or not, but it’s worth a shot. And it’ll be so fun.”

“That would be awesome!” Peter said. It made sense. The dreams never showed up at school. Only in his room. Maybe he could get some sleep with Ned. “Wait.” Peter frowned. “I have detention. And then the principal is supposed to talk to my mom about my sleeping in class.”

“That sucks,” Ned said. He looked as disappointed as Peter felt. “Maybe tomorrow or something.”

“Maybe. I can ask.”

“Great. Here.” Ned slid his phone over to Peter. “Let’s trade numbers so we can let each other know what our parents say.”

Peter picked up the phone and saw there was a blank contact waiting to be filled in. 

So that’s what getting numbers meant. Phone numbers. Got it. Took him long enough to figure it out.

He punched in his name and number, and he pulled out his own phone to get Ned’s.

Peter went about the rest of his day as normal. Flash had somehow found out about his detention and incessantly pestered him over it. But soon enough, he was walking away in search of the detention room.

There were only a few people there. To his surprise, MJ was one of them. What could she have done? He walked over to the desk beside hers. For once, she wasn’t reading. She was sketching. Peter smiled. They were both sketchers. That was cool.

“So, what did you do to get in here?”

MJ looked up at him. “Oh, no. I don’t have detention.”

Peter narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Then what are you doing here?”

“I just like coming here to sketch people in crisis. See?” She flipped her notebook so he could see her work. It was of the gym teacher, who was the adult in charge of detention. He looked very uninterested in being there. Not that Peter had ever seen him look interested in anything.

“That’s pretty good,” he commented.

“Thanks.” She turned back to her work and started on some shading.

The teacher stood up and walked over to a TV. Were they seriously watching a video? 

They had stopped watching them for gym class after that first day. Peter had a feeling Steve had actually called them and somehow convinced them to stop. He wasn’t sure how that worked since they were required by the state. Maybe he had called the governor or something. The whole situation was very amusing. 

But here they were about to watch another video. He wondered what public figure it would be this time.

“So. You got detention.”

Wow. Still Steve. He was gonna make sure he picked on that man again. It was just too good to pass up.

“You screwed up.”

Yes, I did.

“You know what you did was wrong. The question is, how are you gonna make things right?”

Get some sleep at Ned’s house. Boom. Problem solved. Could I go now?

“Maybe you were trying to be cool. But take it from a guy who’s been frozen for sixty-five years. The only way to really be cool is to follow the rules. We all know what’s right, and we all know what’s wrong. Next time those turkeys try to convince you of something that you know is wrong, just think to yourself, what would Captain America do?”

Oh, this was just too good. Steve was definitely going to hear about this.

Soon enough, detention was over, and parents were pickup up their children. Peter felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up to find Natasha staring down at him. He had never seen her in civilian attire before. It was sort of odd.

“You ready, kid?”

“I assume you are Misses Parker?” The principal called from the doorway. When Natasha nodded, he gestured for them to follow him.

Peter grabbed his stuff and turned to MJ. “Bye, MJ.”

“Bye, loser.” She continued her sketching.

As they followed the principal, Natasha gabbed him in the ribs. “Sooo. That’s MJ?” A smirk spread across her face.

“Shut up.”

“She’s cute.”

“Dogs are cuter.”

“Are you comparing her to a dog? Peter, do you even know what calling a female a dog insinuates? Steve would not be happy.”

“What? No. That came out way wrong. I just, connect her with dogs cause of the park. That we met in. And I always think of dogs when I go to that park… because I like them… and that’s why I go…. Yeah.”

“Mmhmm. Whatever you say, lover boy.”

They stepped into the principal’s office and took a seat. “Misses Parker,” the man began. “I have been informed by many of your son’s teachers that he has fallen asleep an alarming number of times throughout the past few weeks. This is a serious concern, not just because it is unacceptable behavior but also because it might mean there it something wrong with his health. Something should be done about this.”

Natasha eyed Peter questioningly. He gave her a forced grin. 

“I am sorry to hear this,” she replied calmly. “This is partly my fault. I have been allowing him to help me with my work recently. It keeps him up very late.”

“I see. Well, I might recommend you send him to bed sooner.”

“Absolutely. We will start that right away.”

“Fabulous. Thank you for coming and speaking with me. That will be all.”

“No problem,” Natasha replied as she and Peter stood. “Thank you for informing me of this. Peter seems to have forgotten to mention it.”

They walked to the car in silence. That was never good. Peter wanted to break the silence. To explain himself. But he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to make it all worse. 

They were about half-way home before Natasha spoke.

“You’re gonna stop patrolling so late. I should have never let you start that habit. You don’t need to have horrible sleep schedules like the rest of us.”

“It’s not your fault. I should have known better.”

Silence.

Peter thought about what Ned had said. He was sure Natasha would have encountered some crazy nightmares. Should he tell her? Maybe she could help. But he didn’t want her to take away his time as Spiderman completely. And he wanted to do it on his own. He didn’t want to be babied. But she might be able to help him figure out the problem, and then he could go from there on his own. He would still be showing himself that he wasn’t weak and crazy.

“Spit it out.”

How did she always know everything? Stupid mind powers. Peter cleared his throat. “Um… I’ve been having… dreams…”

“Nightmares?”

“Yeah. But, they don’t feel like just a nightmare. They feel… real. And parts of them match up with my childhood. It’s really confusing.”

“Your entire world is changing. It’s not surprising that your subconscious is digging up things from the past. It’s trying to find normality. But you’re only relaxed enough for that to happen when you sleep.”

“So, how do I stop it.”

“Wait it out. Push forward. Keep telling yourself that this is your normal, and you aren’t going anywhere. It’ll sink in eventually.”

“Okay.”

They pulled into the parking garage and hopped into the elevator. Just as normal, they went up to the common room floor.

“Hey, Nat.”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks for picking me up. And thanks for the advice.”

“No problem. And don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone as long as you get some sleep.”

“Thanks.”

After getting a snack, Peter plopped onto one of the couches. Natasha took a chair. She did who knows what while he worked on some homework. It was nice, just sitting there with her. He felt like a weight had been lifted off of him after telling her and Ned about his dreams. Speaking of which, he still had to ask his parents about him spending the night with Ned.

The elevator doors opened. Tony and Steve were arguing over something. Peter smiled.

“Hey, Steve.”

The two stopped arguing. “What’s up, kid?” the man replied as he walked over.

Peter put on the most serious and genuine expression he could muster. “I just wanted to say thank you. Your words really made an impact on my life today.”

Steve looked touched and slightly confused. “Well, I’m glad I helped you, but I have no idea what I did.”

Peter could hear Natasha chuckling behind him. Of course she knew. “Well, I learned that I need to always do the right thing, listen to every rule, and ignore cold turkey. When I don’t know what to do, I will forevermore think, ‘What would Captain America do?’” He could no longer suppress his amusement at the situation, and a smile spread from ear to ear.

Steve looked physically pained. He held up a finger. “Excuse me for a moment. I need to make another phone call.” He spun around and walked into the elevator.

A beaming Tony walked to Peter and patted him on the shoulder. “Great job, kiddo. You better tell him every single time you see one of those videos. And make sure I’m there to see his face.”

“Wouldn’t dare do otherwise.”


	36. Chapter 36: Tea Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't find anything definitive on Ned's family. I've read a lot of different representations of his family and home life in various fics, but this is the one I've imagined.
> 
> I thought it would be nice to put Peter with another little kid - one that isn't in danger. Since he didn't have a typical childhood, I wanted to give him a moment where he can just relax and play with a little kid, even if it isn't his comfort zone. 
> 
> Emma is what I came up with. She's based off my little cousin. I love her with all my heart, even though I'm way too much of a tomboy to know how to play what she wants half the time.
> 
> I hope you like this warm, fuzzy-feeling chapter. It brought me smiles, and I hope it does the same for you!

“I’m so excited for tonight. I’m so glad your parents are letting you come over.”

“Me too.”

Peter was thrilled to spend the night with Ned. He didn’t know what to expect. He had slept around people his age all the time at the base, but those were Camolian soldiers. Plus, this was his first time not sleeping near the Avengers since he got to earth. But what could go wrong? It was just Ned.

It hadn’t taken too much work to convince Pepper to let him go. Once she was sold, Tony didn’t take much at all. The real person he had to worry about was Natasha. He was sure she could find a way to stop him if she didn’t approve. He had promised her he would sleep more, and he guessed he and Ned might not get a lot of sleep. Thankfully, Natasha seemed glad that he was wanting to spend time with his friend, and she said she would allow it as long as he did get some sleep.

“Well, well, well.”

Peter and Ned turned to see Flash Thompson walking up behind them. “You two losers having a sleepover? You gonna have a pillow fight? And braid each other’s hair?”

Peter snorted. He knew it was supposed to be an insult, but he found it quite amusing. The image of his and Ned’s heads covered in tiny little braids was so absurd it was comical. 

He leaned towards Ned. “I’ll do yours if you do mine.”

Ned covered his face as he began to chuckle. “Totally. I’ll even grab some of my little sister’s bows.”

Flash looked between the two of them. He was completely thrown off by their lack of offense to his comment. He growled and smacked the both of them in the back of the head before walking over to his seat.

Peter took mental notice of this. Maybe that was the best strategy for dealing with him. Just don’t show it bothers you. It made sense. And he was very good at it. It used to save him a lot of trouble when he was younger. If he let his emotions get the best of him and acted rashly, he would end up being pummeled. If he didn’t display any response and just went about his day, he would be mostly ignored. That had been a solid tactic before, so why not use it now? No fighting necessary.

When school was out, Peter followed Ned to his mother’s car. She picked him and his sister up from school every day. Peter hopped in the car after his friend.

“Hello, Misses Leeds. Thank you for having me.”

She smiled over her shoulder at him. “Absolutely, Peter. It’s our privilege. I’m just glad Ned finally has a friend here he wants to bring home.”

“Mom,” Ned groaned. “Why you gotta make me sound so uncool.”

“Just stating the truth, sweetheart.” She spoke to Peter as she started to drive. “Ned talks about you all the time, you know.”

“Oh really?” He eyed Ned, who was glaring at his mother, silently pleading with her to be quiet.

“Oh, yes. He was thrilled when you came to Midtown Tech. I’d never seen him so excited when I picked him up. He talked on and on about this new boy he had sat with at lunch who liked to build things.”

“Yup. Sounds about right.”

“He said you just moved here recently with your parents, right? Something about the military?”

“Uh, yeah. I moved to New York late last year. I’d spent most of my life with the military.”

“What branch?”

Shoot. He’d never thought of that part. “Air force.” That made the most logical sense. After all, his family was sort of known for its flights. And he had spent a lot of time above the earth’s surface…. Far above.

“Very nice. And you’re liking it here in New York?”

“Yeah. It’s great. Wouldn’t go back for anything.”

“Glad you’re liking it.” She turned onto a residential street. “Well, we’re almost home. Once we get there, Ned can take you to his room, and you can make yourself comfortable. Feel free to raid the kitchen as much as you’d like. I know how growing boys are.”

Peter chuckled to himself. Not this one. He ate way more than she probably expected. Now that he had adjusted to eating as much as he wanted, he went all out. His modified metabolism was out the roof. He even surpassed Steve at times.

“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The Leeds house was very nice. Not Stark level nice. This was more of a lived-in nice. It felt cozy. It was slightly messy, showing people lived there. He liked that. And the location was nice too. It was in a less crowded area. Less noise and attention.

Ned led Peter to his room. “Prepare to enter my Kingdom of Awesomeness.”

“I’d be careful.” Peter turned to see Ned’s little sister. She had been watching him ever since he got in the car. She couldn’t be more than five or six. “Things go in there, and they’re never seen again.”

“Emma, nobody asked you,” Ned said in annoyance. “And Peter isn’t going to disappear in my room. He can come and go as he pleases.”

“Does that mean I can too?”

“No, Emma. You are not allowed in my room.”

“But I want to spend time with your friend.”

Ned turned and shouted down the hallway. “Mom! Emma won’t leave Peter alone!”

Peter looked at the girl. He recognized that look she was expressing. It was the look of feeling left out. Of being pushed aside because you didn’t fit in. It was the look of trying to hold it together in front of someone you admire, but your little kid mind couldn’t handle what you’re feeling, so you just want to cry. It was the look he constantly had at her age until he learned to hide everything.

He squatted down so he was at her eye level. He smiled at her. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, but he didn’t want her to feel left out. 

“Hey. I’ll tell you what. Maybe all three of us can play together for a little while, and then Ned and I can do our boring teenage boy things after that.”

Emma’s eyes lit up. “Really? You want to play with me?”

“Why not.”

Emma bounced up and down. “I’m gonna go tell Mom, and then we can play.” She sprinted off down the hall in absolute joy.

Ned groaned. “Why would you go and do that? That’s not gonna be any fun.”

Peter rose from his squatting position, still looking after the girl. “Does she have a lot of friends?”

“No,” Ned mumbled. “It’s been hard for her since we moved here. Just like me, she left all her close friends, and she hasn’t really made any new ones.”

“Well, I helped you with that, so now I’m gonna help her.” He turned to his friend. “Look. I’m sorry if that ruins any plans or anything, but I don’t want her to feel completely left out. I felt like that all the time growing up, and I just can’t let her feel like that if I can help it.”

Ned looked at him with pity. “Dude. Why you gotta tell me some sob story? Now I feel bad.”

Peter chuckled. “Don’t. I wouldn’t change it. Now come on. Let’s see this Kingdom of Awesomeness.”

When Peter walked in, he took a moment to take in everything he saw. There were so many gadgets and experiments and those lego sets Ned had shown him pictures of. He knew he had made the right choice in friends. As he looked more closely, he saw tons of Avenger’s merch lined the walls. Like, an excessive amount. 

He dropped his bag onto the floor and turned to exit the room. He froze as he saw what looked like a murder mystery board lining one of the walls. But it wasn’t a murder. It was Spiderman.

“Cool isn’t it? I’ve been working on it ever since Spiderman showed up. He’s so awesome. And he’s like the only one who we don’t know the identity of. And there are so many other mysteries. Like, is he an Avenger? Do they know who he is? How did he get his powers? Is he ever going to come out and reveal everything? I want to know everything, so I’ve been compiling all the information I can find. Which is a lot when you really try.” He turned to Peter. “Maybe you can help me out!”

“Uhhh… yeah. Yeah. That would be… awesome.” What was he getting himself into? His stupid mouth just never knew when to shut up.

“Sweet!” Ned seemed really excited over the whole prospect.

Emma skipped into the room, holding a doll in her hand. “Mommy said I had to let you pick what we played.” She grabbed Peter’s hand with her free one and started pulling him along. “Come on. My room is much better.”

Emma’s room was… pink. That was the only word he could think to describe it. Everything was pink. She had dolls and little houses and fancy dresses and a little table and chairs. And it was all pink.

“So, we can play dolls or tea party.” Emma pointed to the tiny house and the small table and chairs.

Ned groaned. “Can’t we play like hide and seek or something?”

Emma stomped her foot. “No. I don’t have anywhere to hide in my room.” She turned to Peter, beaming with anticipation as she waited for him to choose.

Peter had no idea what he was supposed to pick. He had never even heard of a tea party. 

He had seen dolls back on Camolia. When they were really young, a few of the girls had brought dolls to the base. He vividly remembered watching Commander Harshin throwing Hisha’s and Morsa’s dolls into a fire as they screamed and cried hysterically. It was supposed to be a lesson on not having attachments and letting go of emotions. He now realized it really just traumatized them. That had not been a good day for anyone.

He shook his head, coming back to the present. “Which one do you like better?” he asked, smiling at her in what he hoped was a nice way. Standing there, he realized he had no idea how to interact with her. It would be one thing if they were in a life-threatening situation. But this was… normal. He didn’t know how to be normal. Especially with little girls. He was in way over his head. 

But he refused to let her feel pushed aside.

“I like to play dolls better, but that’s just because I never have anyone to play tea party with besides Mommy. And she is always busy.”

“Well then, why don’t we play tea party?”

Emma bounced up and down in childish joy. She ran around her room looking for something. She pulled out a plastic crown and pointed for him to sit by the table.

Peter walked over to it. He looked at the chair. He would break that thing if he sat on it. He pulled it back and sat on the floor. An annoyed Ned grumbled and followed suit.

Emma placed the crown on Peter’s head. “I dub you Prince… what do you want your pretend name to be?”

“How about Minshun?” It seemed like a fitting pretend name. After all, he had pretended with that name for years.

Emma’s eyes lit up. “That’s a cool prince name. I will be Princess Callily.” She pointed to Ned. “And you will be our son Prince Flunderbuff.”

Ned facepalmed. He glared at Peter, clearly blaming his friend for his misery, but he kept his mouth shut.

“I will get our tea, nice princes.” She stood up and walked over to a bunch of plastic toys. She started mixing and stirring… air?

Peter turned to Ned. “What in the world am I supposed to be doing?” he whispered.

“Do I look like I was ever a little girl? I don’t know. I avoid this stuff at all costs. All. Costs. You’re the one who wanted to do this. You can figure it out. By. Your. Self.”

“Are you ready for your tea?” Emma asked. She presented herself as if she were very dignified. It reminded Peter of the games the other kids used to play on the base. They would pretend to be great commanders and generals for the Alliance.

He decided to reply in the same manner. “Indeed, Princess Callily.” He bowed his head slightly in her direction.

The girl giggled and placed plastic cups in front of them. She sat down at her seat and picked up her cup, taking a sip of… air.

Peter looked to Ned, who looked like he wanted to die, and back to Emma before picking up his own empty cup.


	37. Chapter 37: Spotlight on the Spiderling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little more sweetness from Peter. Heartfelt moments. Little bit of action....
> 
> Don't hate me for the cliffhanger, lol.
> 
> Hope you like it!

The three finished their tea party when Misses Leeds called them for supper. Peter was honestly relieved. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Emma. She was very sweet, and he wanted to be her friend. He just didn’t know how to act with her. Like, how do are you supposed to act that excited over something that literally doesn’t exist? Maybe he should make her something tangible to play with. That he could do.

“I am never doing that again,” Ned hissed in his ear as they walked towards the table. “I don’t care. You can do it all you want… by yourself.”

“Maybe we could play outside or something next time,” Peter replied. “That’s closer to my forte.”

Dinner was delicious. It wasn’t as fancy as some of the meals back home, but it was tasty. And it was the atmosphere that really counts. Peter was still hungry, but he didn’t want to take more than his share. Misses Leeds must have noticed because she insisted that he eat more if he wanted it. So, he got seconds. And thirds.

“You sure do know how to eat, son,” Mister Leeds commented. “Where does it all go?”

Peter chuckled. “Who knows. Must be genetic.” Technically, he wasn’t lying.

When everyone was finished eating, Mister Leeds asked Ned to help him with something in the garage. Emma went off to play with her doll. That left Misses Leeds, who was starting to clean up.

“Here. Let me help you,” Peter said as he picked up a stack of dishes and walked it into the kitchen.

“Thank you, Peter. That’s very sweet.”

Peter put the dishes by the sink, and Misses Leeds started to wash them. “I just wanted to thank you. For being Ned’s friend. After we moved here a year ago, he really hasn’t found any close friends until now. He never said anything, but I could tell he was lonely. I tried to get him out of his comfort zone and make friends, but he just wouldn’t. I guess he saw something in you, and that was that.”

Peter started drying a dish the woman handed him. “Yeah. I guess so. I’m glad I met him too. I’m not that good with people in most situations.”

“Could have fooled me.”

“Thanks.”

“Also, thank you for playing with Emma. She’s in the same boat as Ned. She’s always by herself, and I don’t like it. A lot of boys wouldn’t have played with her like that. It was very sweet of you.”

“No problem. I know what it’s like to not have a lot of friends. To be cast aside when other kids are playing. I didn’t want her to go through that.”

“It must have been hard at times. Growing up like you did.”

“Yeah. It was at times. But it made me the person I am now. I wouldn’t be who I am if it had been different. And it might not have been easy all the time, but I know I can do good with my experiences.”

“That’s a very mature way of looking at things.”

“Thanks.”

Ned walked into the kitchen. “You ready, Peter? I have this new lego Death Star. It’ll be super fun to work on together.”

Peter turned to Misses Leeds. 

“Go ahead,” she said. “I can finish just fine on my own.”

“Thank you. And thank you again for supper.”

“My pleasure.”

Ned and Peter locked themselves in Ned’s Kingdom of Awesomeness. Working on the lego Death Star was a lot of fun. Peter had never played with actual legos before. Only the lego video games he played with Clint. He could see why Ned liked them so much though. It was like inventing, but it involved less thinking. It was just following instructions. It was a nice way to relax.

Ned checked his phone for the time. “Hey. Do you mind if I turn on the news?”

“Not at all. I watch it all the time at home.”

Ned found his remote and turned on the TV. “I always watch around this time,” he explained. “This is when they say stuff about the superheroes like Spiderman.”

Sure enough, there was a clip of Spiderman swinging through the streets. It was news of the robbery he had stopped the night before. It hadn’t been anything grand. Peter wondered why it even made it on the news.

“He’s so cool, isn’t he?”

Peter put another piece on the Death Star. “Yeah. I guess.” It didn’t feel right for him to be talking about himself like this. Besides, he wasn’t anything grand. He just did little things. In the grand scheme of things, he had done more harm to the galaxy than good.

“You guess? He’s like, the best out of all of them.”

Peter shot Ned a skeptical, sideways glance. “What? Why would you say that? Have you seen the rest of them?” 

Ned’s comment didn’t make any sense. He was new to the whole thing. He wasn’t the bravest or the strongest. He didn’t show extreme morals or have a fancy outfit. No one even knew who he was. How could he be the best at anything? He was practically a nobody. Now, he loved being a nobody, but he was still a nobody.

“Don’t get me wrong. I love all of the Avengers. Clearly.” He gestured around his room. “But most of them only show up for really big things. Which is great, cause no one else can handle them. But that doesn’t help the little guys. Spiderman does. He helps everyday people in everyday situations.”

“Huh. I never thought of it like that.”

He guessed Ned was right. The only things he could think of any Avenger doing for everyday situations were those stupid Captain America videos that were getting pulled out of the school one by one. Everyone else handled aliens and undercover missions with SHIELD. He was the one who went out on the streets every night.

Maybe that was why Natasha encouraged the whole thing. Not only was it helping him find a purpose, but it was helping the world in a way none of them could. They couldn’t patrol the streets at night because they were so recognized. They had to be more careful. More people were after them. He had a fairly low profile in comparison. He doubted his name was known much out of New York. Therefore, he didn’t have to worry about villains coming after him on his patrols. He could just focus on helping people.

He didn’t think of himself as better for it. He was below the rest of them. That was why he could do the things he did. But he could see why Spiderman would mean so much to people like Ned.

He was like a friendly neighborhood superhero.

Ned continued talking. “I was so scared that time he had that building collapse on him. Like, woah. The fact that he was able to push that thing off of him was insane. And when I saw that girl, all I could think about was what if that had been Emma. I don’t know what I would have done. Like, he saved that girl when literally no one else was willing or able. And he didn’t get anything out of it. That’s why he’s the best.”

Peter had never thought about the people’s families before. He just thought about stopping the bad guys doing wrong and helping those in immediate danger. He never considered how that would affect other people. How families of people he saved would feel. How people whose possessions were stollen were relieved. How people watching felt safer knowing he was out there.

“And the fact that he got through all of that and is still going out almost nightly. I would be scared out of my mind. He’s got guts. I’m scared just watching some of the things I see him do on the news.”

“You know, he’s still just a human, right?” Peter said. He didn’t feel comfortable with all of the praise his friend was unknowingly bestowing upon him.

“Is he though?” Ned questioned. “Because he doesn’t really act like it. All that stuff he does is not human. Never know. Maybe he’s from another planet.”

Peter grinned. If only Ned knew. “Just don’t throw any kryptonite at him. Wouldn’t want him wasting away.”

“Never. I would be the one who would scream out the warning and save him.”

“The hero’s hero.”

“Oh yeah. Imagine being his sidekick. Or his guy in the chair. Oh, that would be so awesome.”

Misses Leeds opened the door and reminded the boys to finish their homework and get some sleep. After all, they did have school the next day.

They quickly finished what homework was due the next day. They made a team effort, helping each other wherever they could. Peter enjoyed it. It was nice to have someone his age and closer to his level of intellect help him. Not that it was bad when any of the Avengers or Pepper helped. It just made him feel stupid sometimes. He just wasn’t at their level. He and Ned were able to help each other out and both still feel accomplished and smart.

Once done, it was getting late. The two got ready to sleep. Ned curled up in his bed, and Peter slept on a sleeping bag on the floor.

As they lay in the dark, Peter heard Ned speak. “So, are you still having those nightmares that you told me about last week?”

Oh yeah. He had actually forgotten he told Ned that. He must be making more progress than he realized. “Not really. I did have one, but it wasn’t that bad. I actually talked to my… mom. She gave me some advice.”

“Phew. That’s good. I was sorta scared you were gonna wake up from one and I would have to do something to bring you out of it like in the movies. Those things are terrifying. I wouldn’t know what to do.”

“Nah. We should be in the clear. And I’m sure you’d do fine. I’ve typically found just someone’s presence helps a lot.”

“Makes sense. And thanks, dude.”

“No problem. Night.”

“Goodnight.”

Ned slipped into a peaceful slumber, and Peter drifted off soon after….

The alien was back. The screaming baby. It was so scared. It hurt. It knew it didn’t belong there. It was being moved. It didn’t know where. It was being handed over. No. It was being left. Alone. So scared. Now, it was being picked up. By a Camolian. It was being handed to his mother. It was him. He was crying. Wait. Now everything was going in reverse. He was being taken away. He was put down. He was picked up by the alien. Light. Bright light. It hurt. Everything hurt. Fear. Screaming. Cold. Claws in a cradle….

Peter jolted away. Once again, he was soaked in sweat. He couldn’t breathe. He looked around. He wasn’t in his bed. Where was he? Panic overtook him. Had he actually been taken somewhere? Had he been stripped of his home again? He still couldn’t move. He wasn’t safe. He needed to get home.

Everything started to focus as his eyes adjusted to the lack of light.

He wasn’t in danger. He wasn’t lost. He wasn’t alone. He was with Ned. His best friend Ned. He heard his friend’s steady breathing. He was asleep. If Ned was sleeping, surely he had nothing to worry about. Any imminent danger would have woken Ned as well.

Peter became vaguely aware of a buzzing by his head. He turned and felt around until he located his phone.

He turned it on, the light burning his already sensitive retinas in the dark. He hastily turned the brightness down and squinted at the screen. It was the notification system he had programmed into his phone. Whenever there was a Spiderman worthy emergency on any cameras or the internet or the news, JARVIS would find it and send a notification to his phone.

This particular one was a few miles away. Outside of a gas station, security cameras had picked up some thugs with weapons going into the station.

Peter checked the map. By the time the police would be notified and reach the location, it would be too late. But he could get there in time.

He looked over at Ned. How would he explain this? Or maybe he wouldn’t have to. He’s just have to be quick and quiet.

Slowly, Peter crawled out of the sleeping bag. His friend didn’t even stir. He grabbed his bag and pulled out his webshooters. He slid them on and pulled on his spare hoodie. He hadn’t brought his suit, but this would do the trick. He snuck over to the window and unlatched it. Ned stirred. Immediately, Peter stopped moving. He heard Ned’s breathing even out once more, so he cautiously opened the window. He pulled himself through the opening and closed the window behind him.

He shouldn’t be long. Ned seemed to be a deep sleeper, so he wasn’t really worried about that. As long as he didn’t make a loud noise, he would be fine.

Peter sprinted down the road. The one downside of the Leed’s house was that there was nowhere for him to swing from. Thankfully, he was a fast runner.

It didn’t take him long to reach the gas station, stop the thugs, help the owner, and run back to Ned’s house. About twenty minutes or so. When he got back, it was nowhere near time for anyone to be waking up. He was sure he would be fine.

Carefully, he lifted the window. He crawled inside, clinging to the wall so he wouldn’t accidently step on anything. He closed the window with his foot. After letting his eyes adjust, he silently dropped to the ground.

He let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, he had been quiet enough to not disturb….

He was blinded as a flashlight turned on, pointed directly at him.


	38. Chapter 38: Spider's out of the Bag

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So, fun story. Everyone seemed to like Emma so much, and I love her too. That got me thinking about what else I could do with her. Now, I've actually started writing a sequel story for this revolving around Emma and Peter's relationship. It was originally going to be just fluff and cuteness.... Yeah, I'm apparently incapable because now it's a whole thing. 
> 
> You might be wondering (probably not, but I still feel like I should explain) "Hey, what about the sequel from the Camolian perspective you talked about forever ago?" Here's the thing. I have a great idea for it that I think would be so good, but I need you guys' feedback... from one of the very last chapters in this story. So I can't start writing that story until this one is almost over. But, with this new addition to the series, you can hopefully enjoy reading the story with Emma while I write the other one. It's a win-win for everyone!
> 
> Anyway. That's enough of that. Now, hope you enjoy this current chapter!

“Peter… You were just on my ceiling.”

Peter’s mind came to a screeching halt as he tried to think of an explanation…. Nothing. Maybe Ned was tired enough to be fooled.

“What? No. I just got up and did some stretching. It probably just looked like it.”

“Oh, yeah. Because stretching involves climbing through my window and clinging to the wall and ceiling like a bat.”

Oh, shoot. He had seen the whole thing. Think fast. Think fast…. He couldn’t think fast with that darn light in his face.

“Will you please turn the light off so I can not go blind?”

Ned reached over to his nightstand and turned on his limited-edition Star Wars lamp. Then, he switched off the flashlight. He swung his legs over the bed so he was better facing Peter.

“So? What were you doing climbing around my room and out the window?”

“I… um… well… haha… um… you see… I….”

Ned’s phone buzzed. The boy looked at it while his friend was failing to think of an explanation.

“Woah. Spiderman just stopped an armed robbery. So cool. And he wasn’t even in his suit….” Ned trailed off. He looked straight at Peter, then to his phone, then back to Peter, then back to his phone. His eyes grew wide, his jaw going slack. “You’re the Spiderman.”

“What? Nonononono. That’s impossible.” 

Peter ran his hands through his hair. This was bad. This was really bad. He shouldn’t have gone out. He should have just stayed here. That stupid dream had messed with his cognition and his senses. The world had gone on just fine before him, one night without him wouldn’t have hurt. But deep down he knew he wouldn’t have been able to live with himself if he knew he could have stopped it but didn’t.

“It’s all starting to make sense,” Ned said, repeatedly pointing his finger as his eyes glazed over in concentration.

“What is?” Peter hoped he still had a shot at dissuading Ned’s belief. If he could just find out what was going on in his friend’s head, maybe he could change the course of his thoughts.

“You both showed up around the same time.”

“Do you know how many people move to and from New York?”

“You’re so strong and fast.”

“I’m athletic. It’s just from training. Anyone could do it.”

“Your supersecret military tech.”

“Okay, that one looks suspicious, but it was for my… aunt. I swear.”

“You climbed through my window and clung to the ceiling right after Spiderman, who wore the exact same sweatshirt, stopped some bad guys.”

“Do you know how many people have this sweatshirt? Cause it’s gotta be a lot.”

“You still haven’t explained why you were outside.”

“I needed air.”

“There’s air inside.”

“The air outside is better.”

“Then stick your head out like a normal person.”

“Well, I’m not a normal person.”

Ned snapped his fingers and pointed at his friend. “See! You just admitted it. You’re Spiderman!”

“What? Ned. Be quiet. You’re so loud the whole world is gonna hear.”

Ned’s eyes filled with wonder. “So, you are?”

Peter sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh! My! Gosh! This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I knew there was something different about you. You were too good to be true. Oh, man. This is insane.”

Peter knew it was too late to turn back at this point. He should just answer all of Ned’s questions. But was that such a good idea? He had a lot that could go wrong if his friend let the spider out of the bag. 

Peter walked over and grabbed his friend by the shoulders, looking him sternly in the eye. “Ned. You can’t tell anyone about this. Got it?”

“Peter, I’m gonna be honest. I’m not sure I can.”

Peter let go and started pacing around the room. He was such an idiot. Why did he get in trouble with everything he did? Could he not just have a nice, normal day for once?

“You don’t understand. You can’t tell anyone. And I mean anyone. Bad things will happen if you do.”

Ned’s expression turned serious and worried. “Like what?”

“I won’t be able to be Spiderman anymore. Like you said, I go do the things none of the other Avengers can do. I can’t do that if I am known and put on the same pedestal as them. Not to mention my dad would never let me leave the house again if he found out I was sneaking around like this.”

“Your parents don’t know?”

“Nobody knows. I mean, Natasha know because she’s the one that got me into the whole thing. And she’s helped me a lot. But that’s it.”

Ned’s eyes lit up light stars. “You know Black Widow.”

“Well, yeah.”

Ned’s mouth hung open. “Does that mean you’re an Avenger?”

Peter thought for a second. Was he? “No. Not really. That would require them knowing who I am.”

“That sucks.” Ned’s face scrunched in confusion. “Then how do you know Black Widow?”

“I live with her.”

Ned’s jaw could have hit the floor it was so slack. “You live with Black Widow? Doesn’t she live with the Avengers?”

“Yeah. In the tower.”

“You live with the Avengers?” Ned put his hands on his head in pure wonder. “How in the world did you manage that if you aren’t one? This is so crazy. My best friend lives with the Avengers.”

“Well, yeah. They are my family.”

“You’re family? You’re so close to them you’re like family?”

“No, Ned. I mean biological family.”

Ned’s eyes were about to pop out of his head. He started pointing at his friend, but his vocal chords were failing him.

Peter answered the question he knew his friend was asking. “Yes. I’m the missing Stark kid.”

Ned jumped off his bed and grabbed Peter, shaking him wildly. “You have got to introduce me to your family! Next time, we’re sleeping at your house.” He paused. “Wait. Why is your last name Parker?”

“I didn’t want to be recognized as a Stark.”

Ned gesticulated wildly. “What do you mean you don’t want to be seen as a Stark? How would that be a bad thing? I would kill to be related to Tony Stark.”

“Exactly. I wouldn’t be seen as me. I’m trying to find out who I am and where I belong. I can’t do that if people only see me as Ironman’s son.”

Ned’s expression hardened. “Oh. I never thought of that. I guess the fame would be hard.” There was a slight pause of thought before Ned continued his babbling. “So where did you go? Who kidnapped you? That’s what happened right? That’s what it said on the news. It was a giant spider wasn’t it? Like, one from Mars or something. And it bit you and gave you superpowers. Can it kidnap me? I want to be bitten. It probably wouldn’t hurt, right? You know what, whatever. Even if it did hurt, I’d let it bite me. Maybe. How much did it hurt?”

“No, Ned. There was no spider.”

Ned looked disappointed for a few second, but he quickly moved on. “So then where were you? Some underground mad scientist’s layer? Or….”

“Do you really want to know?”

Ned nodded. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Peter hung his head. “I just don’t want you to view me any differently. I liked what we have going for us. It’s nice to have a friend who just likes me for plain little me. I don’t want to damage that.”

“Dude.” Ned placed his hand on Peter’s shoulder. “That won’t change. This just adds to it. Especially if you let me be your guy in the chair. Although, you probably already have one of those. Or one of your dad’s fancy AI things.”

“No. I don’t, actually. Neither of those.” Peter had never really thought of that until now. It would help him a lot. He should have considered that before.

Ned looked at him in horror. “You mean you go out there on your own with nobody? No. Best friends don’t let best friends to dangerous or stupid stuff by themselves. It’s a rule. I’ll be your guy in the chair. Call me up whenever, and I’ll watch everything from my screens. I can help you out.”

Peter smiled at his friend. “Really? You’d do that?”

“Of course.” He paused. “So, are you gonna tell me what happened to you?”

Peter flopped down onto Ned’s chair. Ned sat on his bed and watched his friend expectantly. 

“I’m not entirely sure about the whole thing. What I know for certain is that I was taken from the Stark home, somehow got to a distant planet, and was picked up by the Camolians.”

“You lived with aliens? Dude. That’s insane. What were they like?”

“The best way I can describe them is really large, reptile people.”

“Not spider people?”

“No, Ned. I literally didn’t even know what a spider was until I got back to earth.”

“Oh. Carry on.”

“They are apparently bent on galactic domination. They go around killing everyone who doesn’t submit to their ways and makes those who do their slaves.”

It felt really weird telling someone the truth. It felt somewhat freeing, to be honest. It was as if him saying the truth instead of just hearing it made it all the more real.

“So why did you survive?”

“I’m not entirely sure. Apparently, the Alliance….”

“The what now?”

“The Alliance. It’s the military group that I worked for. They raise all the young Camolians. The Alliance was formed by the Great Mediator, hal….” 

Peter had to stop himself from saying ‘hallowed be his name’. It had been so engrained into him that it was still natural after all this time. The thought made him sick. 

“Anyway. It brought the warring Camolian tribes together. Then, the Alliance was formed, and soldiers were sent out to make peace. Turned out, they weren’t. But none of us knew that at the time. We just did as we were told.”

“So, you were actually raised on a military base? Just an alien one?”

“Yeah. Pretty much.”

“So cool. Continue.”

“Where was I? Oh, yeah. The Alliance wanted to make all humans Camolian, so they started experimenting on me. That’s why I’m stronger and faster than I should be. I was still viewed as a failure, so I was sent to war to be killed off.”

“Alien homicide? This is crazy!” Ned was on the edge of his seat, absorbing every word.

“Turns out, I was sent to Asgard. Thor somehow recognized me from a baby picture my dad had. And that was that.”

“So, you just came here and accepted your place after all this time?”

Peter fiddled with his hands in his lap. “Not really. It took a long time to get where I am now. Everything the Alliance had taught me was pretty imbedded in my mind. I denied that they were bad. I kept waiting to leave my family and go back to Camolia. But then, they came. They were the ones that attacked New York not too long ago. One of my friends told me the truth about the Alliance and tried to get me to go back and stop some revolution. But then she was killed, and I ran away. After that, I decided my place was here.”

Ned looked at him, sadness in his eyes. “Woah. That’s rough. I can’t believe you went through all that.”

“It’s fine. I wouldn’t change it. I wouldn’t be able to be Spiderman without it.”

Ned paused. “Did it hurt? What they did to you? To make you stronger?”

“Yeah. A lot.”

“I’m sorry.”

There was a knock on the door. Misses Leeds opened it up. “Hey, boys. Time to get… oh. You’re up. Great. Well, breakfast will be ready in a few. Go ahead and get ready for school, then come out and eat.” She closed the door behind her.

Peter turned to Ned. “You can’t tell anyone anything. Remember. You promise?”

Ned nodded. “Promise…. I still can’t believe I’m best friends with Spiderman.”


	39. Chapter 39: Wingman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Flash is a jerk. What's new.
> 
> Ned is absolute best friend material. So props to him. I love their dynamic soooo much. Don't know if any of you have seen the Netflix show Trollhunters, but Peter and Ned give me such Jim and Tobey vibes. I love them too, lol.
> 
> And MJ's back again! Yippy!
> 
> Hope you like it all!

“Hey, nerds.” Flash slammed his hands down on their desks. “Hope you had fun being weirdos.”

Peter looked at him. He remembered how Flash had seemed thrown off by his lack of offense yesterday. Maybe it could work again. It couldn’t hurt. At the very least, it would help himself. If he didn’t make a big deal out of it, it wouldn’t hurt him. It would make him feel stronger since he wasn’t just lying on his back and taking the hits.

“Yes, actually, we did. Thanks for asking.” He grinned at the bully.

Flash looked like a fish out of water. He opened and closed his mouth, trying to think of a response. When that failed him, he grabbed Peter’s papers and flung them in his face. Then, he stormed off to his seat.

Peter smiled to himself as he pulled the papers out of his face. Maybe Flash would grow tired of trying and failing, and he would lose interest and stop.

“Dude,” Ned whispered as he leaned over. “That’s crazy. I’ve never seen Flash walk away like that. How did you do that?”

Peter shrugged. “Just show him it doesn’t get to you.”

“You’re my hero.” Ned furrowed his brow. “Speaking of which, why didn’t you stand up to him before now? Or like make yourself popular? You have the power.”

“I’ve never really wanted to be super popular. I just wanted to come to school and have some good friends. Which I do. And I never stood up to him before cause… I don’t know. When it first happened, it sent me back to the base where I was picked on a lot. It wasn’t until yesterday when I was able to not think of being beat up every time he interacted with me.”

“They beat you up? Wow. Glad I didn’t live there. I mean, not that I’m glad you did or anything. Cause I’m not.”

“Don’t sweat it. It helped me learn how to fight.” Peter smiled at the thought. “I learned this move. They named it after me.”

Ned’s eyes widened. “So. Awesome. What is it?”

“Since they were so much bigger than me, I would go under them, knock them down to my level, and then take them out. They called it the Underling.”

“And did they stop fighting you when you started doing that?”

“Not really. They stopped when I was promoted to captain over them though.”

Ned was about to respond when the teacher walked in. They made eye contact and silently agreed to continue the conversation some other time.

Peter was excited. He didn’t realize how much he wanted to tell someone everything until now. But the more he told Ned, the better he felt. And it was nice to know he wasn’t judged. The fact that Ned still accepted him made him proud to have such a friend. And the prospect of having someone help him as Spiderman was amazing.

At lunch, Ned was eager to learn about everything the young hero could do.

“How do you shoot the webs? Does it come out of you? And how are you so sticky?”

“Webshooters. Those things you saw from my bag that one time.” Peter took a bite of his food. He was starving.

“So, it’s not coming out of you?”

“No, Ned.”

“Bummer. Well, actually not. That means I could totally become your sidekick.”

“I thought you were gonna be my guy in the chair.” Peter eyed his friend as he took another bite.

“I am. But think of this. If you ever need a guy with you in the field, I would be willing to take one for the team.”

“What team?”

“Our team.”

“The one with just the two of us?”

“Yup.”

“Then it wouldn’t be taking one for the team ‘cause you wouldn’t have anyone to take it for. You’d be the only option.”

Ned stabbed his lunch with his fork. “Way to ruin my dreams.”

Peter stared at his friend. “Ned. You almost die every gym class. How are you going to run around New York with webshooters?”

“So not fair.” Ned scarfed down the food he had just impaled. “Did you make your own shooters? How long did it take you?”

“I made the original back on Camolia. I made them to help me keep up. When I got here, I decided to find ways to improve upon myself for when I got back to the Alliance. I found a spider, liked it, and thought its abilities would be useful, so I made human spiderwebbing. Then, I made it where the shooters would work with it. Natasha was the one who convinced me to use it for good here.”

“Wow. You were really going to use it for a bunch of aliens? That’s crazy. I’m glad that Natasha stopped you and made you be Spiderman instead.”

Something in Peter’s chest clenched when Ned said that. Ever since he had learned the truth, he was relieved that he hadn’t given the Alliance the technology. Who knows what they would have done with it. But something about someone else saying it aloud that made it hit harder.

Once again, he felt guilty for all the things he had done with the Alliance. For all the people who had died because of him. For the revolution he could have stopped. He wondered if it was still in full swing. How much damaged had been caused because he refused to go back? He knew it had been the right thing to do. He would have just started a new Alliance. Things might have gotten better for a little while, but it would eventually turn bad. Yeah. He did the right thing. But that didn’t mean he didn’t feel like he should have done something.

“You okay?”

Ned was looking at him worriedly. He must have shown more of what he was thinking than he thought. He was starting to get really bad at that. It was crazy to think how he used to be able to express next to nothing.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.” He started picking at his food, no longer hungry.

They finished their lunch and headed to the gym for class. As they walked in, Peter saw MJ. She had started a new book. How quickly did she go through those monstrous volumes?

Ned jabbed him in the ribs. “You met her as Spiderman, didn’t you?”

Peter spun around. “What? Nooooo. Why would you… I….”

“For someone with a secret identity, you sure are horrible at hiding things.” Ned looked to MJ. “You ask her out yet?”

Peter opened and closed his mouth repeatedly. What was it with people in his life trying to get him to court MJ? He didn’t even get it. Sure, she was super smart and pretty and she had a great, dark sense of humor when she actually talked to him, and she made him feel this weird way on the inside. But that didn’t mean anything. They were friends. He didn’t need anything more than that.

Ned walked towards MJ. “I got you, dude. I’m your wingman.”

Peter ran behind him.

Ned stopped right in front of the girl. “Hi, MJ.”

She looked up from her book, eyeing him warily. “Since when have you called me MJ?”

“Since Peter started calling you that. So. To the point.” Ned grasped a cowering Peter by the collar and pulled him beside him. “Peter here has been really struggling with his literature class. All that analysis and stuff.”

Peter glared at his friend. “What are you talking about?” He turned to MJ. “No, I haven’t.”

Ned put his hand in front of Peter’s face to shut him up. “Don’t listen to him. He’s embarrassed. He doesn’t like asking for help. But he was really wondering if you would help him. You being so good at reading and all.”

“Yes. Literacy is a very hard skill to come by around here,” she deadpanned as she went back to her reading.

“Great. So, you’ll help him?”

Peter leaned in and hissed in his friend’s ear. “Ned! What are you doing?”

“I’m getting you a date,” Ned hissed back.

“I don’t need a date. I got you.”

“Sorry dude, but I’m not dating you. I like girls. No judgement if you like guys too, but you clearly like MJ.”

“No, I don’t, Ned.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Well then why did you come to this school.”

“It’s a good school.”

“Your dad could have gotten you into better.”

“But I wanted this one.”

“Because MJ is in this one.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No, Ned. Stop it.”

“I have seen it since day one. And I’m tired of you being oblivious. You need help.”

“Wow. You must be really serious about this,” MJ said flatly. She was now looking at them with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen two people get so animated over school help.”

Peter pushed Ned behind him and sat beside MJ. “Look. Ned doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Just ignore him.”

“So, you don’t want me to help you?”

“Well, I mean, if you want to.”

Stupid, stupid mouth. Why did it contradict his brain every time he spoke to MJ? You’d think Natasha’s mind powers would have worn off by now. Was this stupidity permanent? Would he ever grow out of it? At the rate things were going, probably not. 

However, Peter had to admit, he did want to spend more time with her. Not because he wanted to go out with her. He just didn’t see her at school as much as he would like. And he had said they would spend time together when they talked in the park way back when they first met. He wanted to do that. He just rarely saw her around the school. She was so good at sneaking. It was almost freaky.

MJ glared at him. She was analyzing him. Peter gulped and started to fidget under her gaze.

Finally, she held out her hand. “Give me your phone.”

Peter scrunched his face. “What? Why?”

“Just do it.”

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, unlocked it, and handed it to her. She started messing with it. When she was finished, she handed it back to him. She’d entered her phone number. Wow. She had given him her phone number. Why did this make him so happy? He had other people’s phone numbers, and they didn’t make him feel like this.

MJ turned back to her book. “Don’t take this the wrong way. It’s not like I like you or anything. I just… like talking about books.”

Peter nodded. “Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And I just need someone to talk me through them… sometimes. So, uh. I’ll text to later, I guess. If I need… help. On… something.”

Without even looking up, MJ gave him a slight wave, signaling the conversation was over. Peter and Ned went up a few rows on the bleachers and sat down.

“You’re welcome,” Ned whispered.

“Shut up, Ned.”


	40. Chapter 40: Party Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooo. We all agree that Ned is fantastic. Love him. Such a good friend. Fairly accurate to his canon self. Lots of Ned love here in this story....
> 
> With that said, this is where I start to take liberties as a writer. The Ned we know and love wouldn't really do this. But... plot. It might not make sense at first, but this whole thing is ultimately just to get Peter to a certain place: 1) in a literal sense where he is at the end of this chapter and 2) where he ends up mentally and emotionally because of everything that follows.
> 
> I go deeper into this later (Peter learns and explains it to himself), but for this story's purpose, I will say a little bit now. Ned has been lonely and wanting attention for a while. Yes, he got attention and a friend from Peter, but that feeling of longing wouldn't just immediately go away. That's why he's still so interested in being liked by the pretty girl and the popular kids. When he gets a glimpse of that attention he's been seeking for so long, he sort of abandons everything else to try and keep it. 
> 
> I hope that makes sense. Like I said, not canon Ned, but this and the next few chapters make more sense if you just look at him as a friend character in this story and not his MCU self.
> 
> Slight Warning: There is teen partying and slight alcohol and drug use. It's not very bad, but thought I should say it anyway. 
> 
> Also, I'm not saying partying or anything like that is necessarily bad. I'm just showing it from Peter's perspective. 
> 
> Note to clarify the ending. By the time Peter gets in the middle of this situation, he's so far out of his element that he doesn't know what to do. That's why he stays as long as he does. I know when you're reading, you might be like, "Well that's stupid. He should just go." But that's the point. He can't think straight enough to see that.
> 
> Okay. Sorry for all of that. I just felt like I should explain a few things before you read. 
> 
> Hope you like this monster of a chapter!

Peter and Ned sat in the cafeteria. Once again, Ned was interrogating his friend on superhero matters.

“So, do you get to train with the Avengers? Like, I know you said you aren’t one of them and everything, but you’re still super strong.”

“Yeah. I do a lot. I think the only ones I haven’t competed against are Bruce and my dad. And sort of Thor. I did fight in a real battle, and he was there. And he has knocked me out with his hammer a few times. And technically brought a building down on me. Still not over that.”

“Oh my word. Not cool. He has officially dropped down on my list of Avengers.”

“You have a list?” Why was he even surprised? This was Ned he was talking to.

“Of course. It’s from coolest to lesser cool. Don’t worry. You’re on the top.”

Peter grinned. “Awesome.” He fist-bumped his friend.

“We really need to think of something cooler than that. Like, our own secret handshake.”

“Absolutely,” Peter agreed.

“So, did you beat any of them when you fought them?” Ned questioned, getting back on their original topic.

“Clint and Steve.”

Ned’s eyes would have exploded if he widened them any farther. “You beat Captain America?”

Peter grinned. “I stole his shield once,” he said proudly. “And I beat him in a race.”

Ned stared at his friend in absolute wonder. “I don’t understand how you can not brag about this. I want to brag about it for you. Do you know how popular you could be?”

“I’ve already told you. I don’t care about that kind of thing. I like where I’m at. I like being normal. It makes things simpler.”

Ned shook his head. “It just doesn’t make any sense. I wish I could be popular. Do you know how many girls we could get? Or how many parties we could go to? It would be awesome.”

“Well, if that would make you happy, I would support you. But I’m content where I am now. Even if I am viewed as a weird loser.”

Loud giggling erupted from the next table over. Peter and Ned turned to see a group of girls chatting away. Peter recognized one of them as Liz Toomes. Ned talked about her all the time. He had liked her from day one. Apparently, she was a senior on the decathlon team. She was very popular and far out of Ned’s league. That didn’t stop him from liking her though.

Peter still didn’t understand the whole girl thing. It was so different on Camolia. Really, the only basis he had for earth relationships was his parents. He was nowhere near ready for anything like that, so why would he need to go out with anybody. Not that the thought didn’t send that weird feeling coursing through his body. But it was just a feeling. He didn’t need to do anything with it. He wasn’t ready to do anything with it. That’s why he hadn’t texted MJ yet.

Peter and Ned listened to the girl’s conversation. It seemed they were all really into it, so it peaked the boy’s interest.

One of the girls Peter didn’t recognize was speaking. “Okay. For me, it would be eff Thor, marry Ironman, and kill Hulk.”

What in the world were they talking about? First off, his dad was married and way too old for this girl. Second, why would anybody want to try and kill the Hulk. And what about Thor? Why were these girls even discussing this? So weird. And awkward.

Peter was about to stop listening when Liz spoke up. “What about Spiderman?”

“It’s just Spiderman,” another girl said. Peter could have been insulted, but he decided not to care. He didn’t don the suit and run around the city for these girls. He could care less what they thought of him.

“Are you serious? Have you seen half the stuff he’s done? He’s amazing.”

“Ohhhh, Liz is totally crushing on Spiderman,” she first girl jibed.

“I am not,” Liz defended. Then, a small smirk worked its way across her lips. “I mean, he is pretty awesome, though. And I would love to meet him. Like, if anybody knows him, let me know. I would love to bring him to one of my parties.”

“Eww, gross. He’s probably like thirty.”

“Yeah. You don’t even know what he looks like. What if he is severely damaged or something? He has to wear a mask for a reason.”

Liz stuck her chin in the air. “I wouldn’t care. I would still love him for the person he is on the inside.”

“I know Spiderman,” Ned blurted out.

If looks could kill, Peter would have murdered Ned. “What are you doing?” he hissed. Ned ignored him.

“Seriously?” Liz lit up.

Ned nodded. “Yeah, yeah. We met. He’s super cool.”

“Hey. I’m having people over tonight. It’s technically a school party thing. Practically everyone from Mid Town Tech is invited. Even a few teachers said they would drop by for a little bit. You’re more than welcome to come. Bring Spiderman with you.” She glanced at Peter. “You could come too.”

“Ahh, thanks, but we’ll decline. We’re busy.”

“I’m not,” Ned said. “I’ll come. And I’m sure I can get Spiderman to come too.”

Peter stood up and grabbed his friend, leaning in very close so no one would hear what he was saying. “What are you doing?”

“You said you’d support me if it made me happy. This will make me happy. Please. Please, please, please, please, please. I helped you with MJ. Help me with Liz.”

“I didn’t want your help with MJ, and I don’t even know if I would be allowed to go.”

“You sneak out all the time as Spiderman.”

“That’s different.”

“At least ask. Please.” Ned gave him the most pleading, pity-inducing look he could muster.

Peter sighed. He did want his friend to be happy. And he would feel bad if he prevented that. “Fine. Just because this doesn’t affect me as Peter.”

Ned turned back around to face Liz. “Sorry about that. But I’ll definitely be coming with Spiderman.”

“Great.” Liz looked at Peter. “You sure you can’t come?”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry. But I hope you have a great party.”

The girls started talking to Ned. They even invited him to their table. He looked so pleased. Peter politely declined that offer as well. He assured Ned he just had to go to the bathroom. Once there, he looked around to make sure no one was in the room. He leaned onto the sink.

What was he doing? Why did he agree to that? That was stupid. Maybe he could still get out of it. 

He whipped out his phone and texted Tony, asking him if he could go to a party. To his dismay, the man encouraged it. He thought it was important that Peter get the experience, especially since it was supposed to be a school-wide event.

The door flung open. Peter turned to see Flash ambling through the door. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Parker all by himself. What? Your loser friend not want to hang out with you anymore? Finally saw that you were trash? I heard he is going to a party without you. Bet that’s gotta hurt.”

Peter clenched his fists. He realized his friend’s action did hurt. He had been trying to convince himself otherwise. He was masking his own feelings by trying to be happy for Ned. But that didn’t change the fact that he was hurt. He was having to do something he didn’t wanted just so his friend could be popular. And when that happened, what would become of their friendship? He wasn’t going to become popular. No matter what. So, did that mean he would be by himself now?

Flash was now in his face. “What? Can’t brush that one off? To close from home this time?”

Oh shoot. Flash had found out his method to stopping the bullying. Apparently, that wouldn’t work anymore. Peter didn’t know what to do, so he shoved past a laughing Flash and ran to class.

The end of the day came far too quickly. Through the entire afternoon, Ned kept texting about how exciting it was that they were going to Liz’s party. 

Peter was not excited. This was not how he wanted to spend his Friday night. He couldn’t get what Flash said out of his mind. He knew the boy was just trying to get into his head, and he had succeeded. Peter was scared for his friendship. Was that stupid? He probably had nothing to worry about. Earlier that day, they had been talking about a best friend handshake. That kind of bond wouldn’t be tossed away for some girl.

The time for him to leave came all too quickly. He folded up his suit and put it in a bookbag. He could change on the way there. His cover was that he was going with Ned and spending the night with his friend after. Hopefully, the party wouldn’t last long, and the two boys could have fun together at the Leed’s house. Maybe Ned could even try out being his guy in the chair for the first time on a patrol.

As he was heading out, Pepper, Steve, Bruce, and Tony bid him farewell, hoping he had a good time. Clint and Natasha were off on some SHIELD mission, so they weren’t there. He wished they had been. Natasha would have been able to do her freaky reading of him, see he didn’t want to go, and bring the whole scenario to a screeching halt. But unfortunately, she wasn’t there. 

He was about to step in the elevator when Tony stopped him.

“Look. I’m glad you’re going to this thing. I know I gave you permission….” Peter hoped he was about to take that back, but he had no such luck. “…and I wouldn’t take that away. I think you need to experience it at least once. It might help you figure out who you are or something. I don’t know. But just…. Be careful. Don’t do anything stupid. The party lifestyle can be… dangerous. I would know. Just, don’t get in over your head. And if you need anything from any of us, just call someone. At least one of us will come to you in a heartbeat.”

Peter wrapped his arms around the man. “Thanks, Dad. I’ll be careful.”

He left the tower and started towards the Toomes’ house. Once he was close, he found a good place to hide. He changed, hid his stuff, and continued the rest of the way to the mansion. It was huge. Horizontally huge, not vertically like the tower. He wondered if Liz’s family had a bunch of people living with them too.

He could hear the music and see the lights from a distance. He was not looking forward to being in the middle of that. It would surely give him a headache. All that over stimulation when he was already in an anxious state, making him more hypersensitive. He kept reminding himself that it was what Ned wanted. Friends helped friends get what they wanted. 

He took a deep breath and swung towards the mansion. Once he was above it, he could see how many people were there. It was insane. He couldn’t believe he was going in there. He scanned the backyard area for Ned. His friend had given him instructions on where to come in and what to do.

Once he found his friend, he aimed and swung towards him, coming to a stop a few feet away. There were some squeals and screams as he did this. He didn’t know if it was from shock or excitement. He didn’t care. He walked over to Ned.

“Hey, Ned. Thanks for inviting me here. Sick party.” He talked in a weird accent to make it less likely that anyone would recognize his voice.

“Hey, Spidey. No problem. Glad you could make it.”

There were murmurings all around them. Peter could see cameras flashing. This was not going to be good for his reputation. He was supposed to be a hero. Who would respect someone who attended teenage parties? And what if someone would be able to put the pieces together about his identity? He shouldn’t have come here. Why had he let Ned convince him to come here?

“Oh my gosh. You’re Spiderman! Hi!”

Peter turned to see Liz walking towards him.

The girl continued. “Ned here told me he knew you and would bring you here. I honestly had my doubts, but wow. You’re actually here.”

Peter nodded. “Yup. Wouldn’t miss an opportunity like this.” Peter’s stomach started churning. He didn’t like lying like this. He didn’t like how Ned was having him do this. He wanted to leave. But he had promised he would stay. For Ned.

“Great! Well, there’s pizza and drinks by the house. I’m sure if you look, you can find anything else you want.” There was a loud crash as something fell inside the house. “I gotta go take care of that. My parents would kill me if anything expensive was broken. I’ll be back Spiderman. Ned. You want to come with me?”

Ned followed her inside, leaving Peter all by himself. People were staring at him. Whispering about him. He hated it. He walked towards the pizza, hoping to find comfort in food. It smelled amazing. He rolled his mask up to his eyes and started to eat.

Tons of kids came up to talk to him. Lots of them wanted pictures to post on social media. Peter politely took some. He didn’t like the attention he was getting. 

He was interrogated by a lot of people as well. How old was he? How did he get his powers? Was he an Avenger? Would he take his mask off? Peter brushed off all the questions. He didn’t feel comfortable answering anything like that. Maybe in another setting, but not here. Not now.

As the night continued, Peter grew more and more uncomfortable. He found himself standing on his toes, something he hadn’t done in a very long time. He was on complete defense. There were strange sights and smells. Peter couldn’t place his finger on it, but his subconscious was telling him he knew it, and it was not good. 

The few adults that had been there had left long ago. That just made everything worse in his mind. Ned still wasn’t back. Peter wished his friend would hurry up. People were starting to act weird. Well, weirder. But he still couldn’t place his finger on it. Maybe he should just leave. But no. He had promised Ned he’d stay until his friend was ready to go. He wouldn’t break his promises.

Eventually, a guy came up to him, offering him a red cup.

“What’s in it?” Peter asked. He recognized the smell from somewhere, but he couldn’t place it.

The boy laughed in his face. His breath stunk. “You’re funny. Booze. What else would we be drinking at a party?”

Peter stared at him. Alcohol? They were serving alcohol? Wasn’t that illegal? Why would they be doing that? It would explain why people were acting different though. And why this guy had the audacity to try and get a superhero to drink.

They boy slid the cup into his hand. “I know you’re like a hero or whatever, but it’s good. You should drink it.”

Peter didn’t want to drink it. Besides, the smell made him want to vomit. 

Suddenly, his mind was no longer at the party. He was seeing the outcast soldiers back on Camolia, deserted and disrespected for their reliance on something forbidden by the Alliance. And then he was in alleyways, being punched by bad guys with putrid breath and intoxicated bloodstreams. He had never had a pleasant experience revolving around any substance. He didn’t want to consume anything of that nature.

The boy in front of him continued. “If you’d rather have something else, I can hook you up. We got all kinds of things here. And if I don’t have it, I know some other guys here who deal.”

Drugs? There were drugs here too? Peter looked around. Sure enough, he could see it now. There were kids everywhere who were snorting, smoking, swallowing, and injecting anything they could get their hands on.

At first he wondered why this guy would dare offer Spiderman such a thing, but then it hit him: he was in the middle of it, letting it happen. This would be detrimental to his reputation. By the fact this guy already thought he would be okay with it, he had already done some serious damage.

Peter looked around once again. He froze, not even sure of what to do anymore. His mind took him to the Alliance lab. To a vivid memory he had purposefully suppressed until this moment.

He was being prepared for one of his “examinations”. The party lights and music turned into the sights and sounds of an operating room. The smell of the drink in his hand turned into that of rubbing alcohol being rubbed on him. He could feel the needles being stuck into him, injecting substances into his bloodstream that had made his head spin. They were supposed to make it manageable, but they didn’t. They had made it worse because he could no longer focus on anything. Except pain.

Peter jumped as a hand clapped on his shoulder.

“Loosen up, dude,” the boy said. “It’s not like this is something new. We do it all the time at school in bathrooms and stuff. Now it’s your turn. Have some fun. Even heroes need a day off.”

Peter could feel the gastric acid rising up his throat. He couldn’t stand it here anymore. Screw Ned. If this was the life he wanted, he could have it. But Peter wouldn’t. He couldn’t.

He swung out of the backyard towards his hidden clothes. He could hear people shouting after him, but he didn’t stop until he found his stuff. He changed back into his civilian clothing. Screw patrol. He couldn’t handle that right now. 

He needed to get away.


	41. Chapter 41: SOS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit of a roller coaster ride for Peter. He's freaking out over a whole lot of things that have built up, and it causes problems. Poor Peter.
> 
> Also, I know any of the Avengers would have literally dropped anything to come and get him. He's everybody's precious cinnamonroll. But, Peter isn't thinking right, and he doesn't want to hinder anyone. That's why he makes the decision he does.
> 
> Anyway. Love this chapter. Hope I wrote Steve well. I had a harder time with him, for some reason.
> 
> Enjoy!

He started running. He needed to run. The rush and clarity he got when running was the only thing keeping him from insanity. He had no idea how to get back to the tower on foot since he swung in a fairly straight line towards the Toomes mansion, but he wasn’t going to stop and try and find out where he was.

He didn’t care that he was lost. He kept running. And running. And running.

His mind went wild. He kept seeing flashes of light from distance past. He saw the horrid ways drugs and alcohol affected the people he encountered as Spiderman. He saw how it destroys one’s world. He could feel how strange substances had worked in his own body. How out of control it had made him feel. How he had hated them.

He could hear himself screaming under the Camolian doctor’s grasp as things were pumped into him, supposedly fixing him but really transforming him. He could hear….

That baby. Him as a baby. Screaming. He was scared. He felt needles poking him as something wrapped around his head. It was cold. The needles slid straight down to the nerves, pricking them painfully, but not slicing them. There were patches on him. Monitoring him. Lights. Bright lights. Blinding his eyes. Everything hurt. It smelled strange. Yet familiar. Fear. Pain. Noises. Clicking noises. They didn’t make sense. Yet he understood them. They were voices. Terror. Screaming. Lights. Slicing through his skin. Cold. Very cold. He wanted his mommy….

Peter collapsed on all fours. His body failed him. He curled in on himself and rocked back and forth on the street pavement. He was officially going insane.

He couldn’t believe that had happened when he was fully awake. His dreams had lessened, but they had also grown more intense. But this was the first time he had experienced one while conscious. 

Well, apart from when he had found that orb.

Peter looked around franticly, searching for anything glowing or unearthly looking. He couldn’t find anything. 

He sighed. Honestly, he had hoped to find something. That would have at least given him a reason for what just happened. But there wasn’t one. It was just his own mind going haywire. And that scared him more.

What had that orb done to him? Or… had it done anything at all? Was this just the real him coming out? Had his true mind been suppressed, and the orb awoke some old part of him?

Peter heard a car coming. He quickly scrambled towards the sidewalk. It had been pretty stupid of him to run in the road and stay there like that. He gave himself a pass though since he was clearly a psychotic lunatic.

The car zoomed by him. There were some really loud teens hollering inside. He had no idea if they were from the party or not, but the thought of teens driving under the influence sent shivers down his spine. He had stopped enough near wrecks to know that was not a good idea.

He couldn’t believe how openly all the kids were doing those things. In the Alliance, anyone found under the influence of any substance aside from medicinal reasons would be gotten rid of. Killed. They would be killed. He had always understood why there had to be punishment. He had seen the effects. They were not pretty. They made one irrational and inefficient. That was unacceptable. The thought of it had always made his stomach curl.

So how could these kids tolerate it? It didn’t make sense to him, and he didn’t think it ever would.

Peter started walking down the sidewalk. As he went, he surveyed the area. He hoped he would find out where he was.

He didn’t. He walked around for about an hour and still didn’t have a clue where he was. He even climbed a building to get a higher view. Still nothing. He was getting cold and tired. He still felt nauseous from the entire party thing. And to top it all off, he was terrified the flashes would come back. He could feel them there in the back of his mind, building and waiting for the right moment to reemerge. I terrified him.

He pulled out his phone. There was a text from Tony saying he and Pepper were going to bed. They hoped he was having a good time with Ned and hoped he got back to his friend’s house safe. He checked the timestamp. 1:21 a.m. 

What time was it now? 4:09 a.m.

Darn. They would be in deep sleep by now. The one time he actually wanted Ironman to come blasting to his location, the man decided to let his kid be. Just his luck. 

He thought through everyone else. Natasha and Clint weren’t even there, so they were out of the question. Bruce was the only Avenger with a regular sleeping schedule, so there was no way he was up.

Steve. He got up long before the break of dawn every day. Something about it being a habit from the war.

Peter hastily scrolled through his contacts and found the one he was looking for. As he dialed, he swore he would never make fun of the man’s old timey, soldier habits again if he would just pick up.

First ring….. Come on.

Second ring…. Pick up. Pick up.

Third ring…. Please, please, please, please, ple….

“Peter?”

Peter released the breath he didn’t even know he had been holding in. “Oh my gosh, Steve. Thank goodness you picked up. I didn’t know who else to call cause everyone else would be asleep and….”

“Wait. Aren’t you at your friend’s house?”

“No. I’m lost. Completely lost. In the middle of nowhere.”

Peter could hear Steve moving around on the other end of the line. “Is Ned lost with you?”

“No. I was going to wait on him, but I just couldn’t stay there anymore. Crap hit the fan, and everything went out the window, and I started running cause I needed to get out of there, and now I’m lost and I’ve been trying to find my way back but I don’t even know where I went and then everything just kept getting worse and Idon’tknowwhattodoanymore….”

“Hey, hey, hey. Just stay where you are. JARVIS, track Peter’s phone. Okay, kid. I’m coming to get you. Just stay put. I’m gonna hang up now if that’s okay.”

“Just get here quick.”

There was a beep, and the call ended.

Peter slid to the ground and wrapped his arms around his knees. He felt his eyes watering. He was being such a baby. A baby like the one in his visions….

He slapped himself as he felt his mind on the brink of another one of those flashes. The sting of his cheek seemed to stop the immediate problem, but he could still feel it building up in his mind. They were going to come through. He couldn’t stop them. He just hoped he had enough time for Steve to get here before they overtook his mind. He didn’t want to be alone anymore. Screw what everyone thought of him. Screw him proving to himself that he could still do this on his own. Because he couldn’t. And he just wanted someone to fix him.

Peter heard an engine. He looked up to see a car pulling up to him. The passenger door swung open, and he scrambled inside, closing the door behind him.

“Hey, kid. Here.” Steve handed him a jacket. “Thought you might need this.”

Peter pulled his backpack off and slid the jacket on. It was much too large for him seeing as the owner was giant compared to him. He didn’t care though. It made him feel safe and warm.

Unlike Natasha, Steve immediately started talking. “So. What happened? Why aren’t you with your friend?”

Peter felt a tightening in his chest at the thought of Ned. He was mad at him. None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for that stupid crush on Liz. “He ditched me,” he replied. “I don’t know where he went or what he was doing. He could still be there for all I know.”

“So why didn’t you call somebody sooner? Why did you try running?”

Peter remembered that boy. His smell. His laugh. The way his words made him sick. They panic it brought on. As he remembered, he felt the flashes coming forth. He dug his fingernails into his palms as he tried to push them back.

“I couldn’t stay there. I just couldn’t. I had to get out.”

“Why? What happened? I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me.”

Peter gulped. He knew Steve wouldn’t like what he was about to hear. “They were… um… drinking. A lot. And doing drugs and stuff. And there was this guy who tried to get me to participate. But… but I didn’t. I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.”

Steve’s grip tightened on the steering wheel as Peter spoke. His breathing quickened. Peter could tell he was internally screaming at the thought of Peter being in that situation. He wasn’t surprised. The man was literally known for his righteousness and moral conduct. 

Peter was sort of glad it hadn’t been his father who picked him up. Tony would have probably flipped out, which wouldn’t have helped him in the slightest. But Steve was holding himself together, even if it was just for Peter’s sake.

After a few moments, Steve spoke. His voice was strained. “I’m very proud of you for standing your ground. You made the right call in leaving.”

Silence.

Peter didn’t like this silence. It fueled his mind to go rampant since there was nothing to distract him. He thought on how he used to be able to sit in silence for ages, even finding comfort in it. What had happened to him? He used to be so strong. Why had he turned into this child who couldn’t even control his mind?

“Hey. What’s going on talk to me.”

Peter realized he had started shaking. It was taking everything in him to hold it together. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. He was faintly aware that Steve swerved the car to the side of the road and parked it. He felt comforting hands on him, but all they did was make it worse. The hands he felt weren’t the hands holding him….

Claws. Grasping. He was being taken. Screaming. Panic. He was in a home. An earth home. Long claws wrapped around him. Screaming. Bright lights. He was terrified. That clicking, talking noise. Engines. Pain. Sharp things digging into him. He didn’t think it would end. 

It did. He was being laid down. He was picked up. He was with his mother. He felt safe. She was leading him to the base. He clung to her.

Fear. He was older now. He was being pulled away. He didn’t want to go. He was screaming. He got even older. Still screaming. He was being pulled again. Off a table. Doctors. He could smell the sterilizers. The drugs. The enhancers. Everything hurt. He was screaming. 

His mother was taking him. The doctors were speaking. Something about him being sick. They fixed him. So why was he screaming? Why was he hurting? He was scared. He hurt. 

The hands were coming again. Those giant, clawed hands. They were grasping his shoulders. The hands….

Peter jolted as he reentered reality. A shiver ran down his spine as he registered that there were still hands on his shoulder. Holding him tightly so he couldn’t move. For a moment, he was terrified. But then he realized whose arms they were. It was Steve. Steve was holding him. Steve had gotten there in time. Now he would help him.

Peter pulled away slowly, and Steve loosened his grip. The man was looking at him with serious concern but nothing else. Peter knew that look. It was the look of someone confused and terrified yet trained not to show emotion. As soon as he was alone, Steve was guaranteed to breakdown and let everything out. But he wasn’t going to do that here and in front of Peter.

Peter felt guilty for putting the man through that. “I’m sorry,” he said. As he said it, the gates of his mouth opened, and words started pouring freely. “I’m sorry I can’t hold myself together. I should be strong. I was trained. Why am I not strong anymore? I want to be strong. I don’t want to be with the Alliance anymore, but I don’t want to be weak because either. Why is this all happening to me now? Why can’t I control anything? I’m losing my mind, and I can’t stop it. I want it to stop. Why won’t they stop?”

Peter was sobbing now. Once again, Steve was pulling the boy towards him. This time, he had moved back his seat and pulled the boy all the way into his lap.

Peter allowed it to happen. He felt stupid. He felt like the screaming baby he kept seeing. He wanted it to stop. He didn’t want to be useless. He was supposed to be a hero. He was supposed to help people. How could he help people when he couldn’t even stay in control of himself?

Steve kept soothing him. Peter couldn’t have recalled what the man was saying, but it helped. He gradually calmed down. Once he stopped crying, they sat in silence, Steve rubbing circles on his back. Peter could tell the man was waiting for some kind of signal for what to do.

Peter finally spoke. “I don’t understand why that affected me so much. I should be able to block things out and go on my way unfazed. I’m a trained soldier.”

“You’re a kid,” Steve replied. “A very special, well-trained one. I knew that from the first time we met. But you’re still a kid. You don’t have to be emotionless and tough all the time. No one is.”

“But I used to be able to tell when I should feel and express things and when I shouldn’t. That helped. Why can’t I make that choice now?”

“Because you never really learned. You thought you did, but you were just blocking everything. You were brainwashed to act a certain way. Now that you’re moving past that, you’re reverting to what you knew before. Before, you were a child. You didn’t know how to handle emotions. Now, you have to learn how to handle them for real. In a good way.”

“I don’t want to,” Peter mumbled as he fidgeted his hands. He noticed his palms were indented from his fingernails digging into them. He decided to focus on that. “I want them all to go away.”

“I know, kid. I know. But it’ll get better with time.” Steve paused. “Has that happened before? That overwhelming panic?”

Peter nodded.

“We can help you with that. A lot of us have PTSD. I’m pretty sure all of us have experienced episodes like that. We can help you, if you let us.”

Peter nodded again. He wiped the tear trails from his face. He was going to be okay. They were going to help him. Maybe he wasn’t a complete lunatic. He should have told them a lot sooner. Things could have been stopped before they got this out of hand. But he had been stubborn and wanted to do everything by himself. He knew better now.

Steve patted him on the back. “Good. You ready to go home now?”

“Yeah. I want to go home. I want some sleep.”

A shiver ran down his spine as he thought of the nightmares he had been having. He had already had two while conscious. He didn’t want to risk another. Not without someone to help him, anyway. 

“Could I maybe stay with you tonight?”

“Yeah. I’ll stay with you while you sleep. But, uh. I need to be able to drive home.”

Peter slid back to the passenger seat, and Steve readjusted the car. Soon, they were on their way.


	42. Chapter 42: Getting Help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some sweet bonding moments between the family, plus more Peter and Steve. He definitely needs all the support and family love.
> 
> I tried my best with the therapy part. I used tactics I have heard (I've heard a lot of things from my friend who goes to therapy and from things I have read, and my dad is training to be a councilor). Clearly, you still shouldn't take anything I used too seriously, but I tried.
> 
> Like I said before, I'm not entirely sure how schools like this work. This probably wouldn't happen, but I did it anyway to push the plot.
> 
> Hope you like the chapter!

“Yup. Yup. Yes. We’ll be there.”

Peter pushed himself up in the bed to see Steve hanging up his phone. “What was that about?” he questioned.

Steve spun around to face him. “Hey. You’re up. Feeling better?”

Peter nodded.

“Great. So, I called your school to let them know what had happened last night….”

Shoot. This wasn’t good. He wasn’t even supposed to have been at that party. How was he going to explain that? This was not going to end well. With his luck, the whole school would find out he was Spiderman because of this.

“…but apparently some other people had already notified them. Police showed up some time after you left, so all the parents were notified. Since it started out as a school party, the school is calling a meeting tomorrow afternoon to address the matter. The principal is not happy that so many of his prestigious students are doing illegal activities.”

Peter sighed in relief. If other people called in first, no one would trace it back to him. And the problem was still getting fixed. That made him feel better. And way to go Captain America. Truly God’s righteous man.

“So, what do we do until then?” he asked.

“First off, you should tell your parents what happened.” That did not sound fun. “And we’re gonna have you to talk to a therapist about those attacks you have.” That seemed like the much better option to start with. He knew the therapist wouldn’t freak out.

“When can I talk to the therapist?”

“I called and asked her to come here tomorrow morning.”

“Okay.”

That felt like so long away. He wanted it now. He wanted the flashes to stop. If this person could do that, he wanted to see them now.

Steve walked towards the door. “I’m going to go start on lunch. Or rather breakfast for you. Why don’t you get ready and join us when you’re ready.”

“Us?”

“Everyone is eating together. It’s probably better that way. I’m sure you don’t want to tell them all separately. Better to get out of the way in one shot.” Steve walked through the door.

“Feel free to tell them for me,” Peter called after him. 

He knew that the man wouldn’t. This was one of those conversations he just had to have for himself. He just really didn’t want to. He knew they would overreact. Especially his dad. It really was a good thing none of them were up when he called Steve.

Once he was ready, he went down to the common room. Stepping out of the elevator, the smell of lunch hit him. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until now. Although, it made sense since he hadn’t eaten a lot last night and then ran so much.

As he walked into the kitchen, the adults turned to see him. Tony was the first to speak. “Hey, kiddo. Heard you were out real late last night. Somehow met Steve or something. Let me guess. You went for a run. Don’t know why I’m surprised. How’d the party go?”

The man looked at him expectantly. He seemed so excited to hear about his son’s night. They all did. Peter wished they didn’t. It would be better if they were all indifferent. Then they wouldn’t be affected by it, and he wouldn’t have to deal with an emotional response.

Peter knew he technically didn’t do anything wrong. Well, apart from the fact that it was Spiderman there, not him. But that didn’t count. He just felt wrong knowing he was in the vicinity. Just the thought of such things had always made him sick. Granted, he had been trained to think that way. And once he got back to earth, it had been solidified by the things he had seen.

He knew the adults before him would be appalled. Goodness knows they would probably become more protective of him for a little while. Honestly, he’d be okay with that for once.

He looked at Steve. The man eyed him, silently encouraging him to get it out. 

Peter took a deep breath, looking at the adults who were growing more suspicious every second due to his delayed response. No point in beating around the bush and prolonging his torture. Might as well get it all out now.

“Ned left me by myself and there was a lot of people drinking and doing drugs and stuff and one guy tried to get me to take some and that’s why I ran away and didn’t go with Ned so I had to get Steve to come and get me and I also need therapy because I’m really messed up and it’s getting worse and I don’t want to be scared to sleep anymore.”

Once it was all out, Peter felt a weight lift off his chest. It didn’t matter what they said or did now. He was no longer hiding it. He felt better.

Pepper immediately hopped out of her chair and walked over to him, pulling him into her motherly embrace. “Oh, baby. It’s okay. It’ll all be okay.”

Peter glanced over at Tony and Bruce. Bruce was fidgeting awkwardly while looking sad. He looked like he wanted to leave the family be. 

Peter couldn’t read Tony. He had expected an immediate outlash, so this was throwing him off. He couldn’t tell if the man’s brain was running at a million miles per hour or was at a screeching halt. He wouldn’t blame the man either way. He did wish his father would respond in some way though.

Pepper let go and stepped back. Then, Tony finally stood up. After taking a few steps, he stopped right in front of his son, looking down at him. Peter refused to make eye contact with the man. He wasn’t sure he could mentally handle whatever was held in his father’s eyes. 

After what felt like an eternity, Tony pulled Peter into his arms. “I’m sorry,” he said. He was clearly putting a lot of effort to keep himself together. That was unexpected. Peter wondered if Steve had somehow told him to not lash out. He knew this was completely against his father’s first instinct. Whatever the reason, he was grateful for it. 

“I should have told you not to go,” Tony continued. “I just wanted you to have fun and hoped that stuff wouldn’t happen. That’s on me.”

Peter shook his head. “I could have just not gone. It’s not your fault what other people did any more than it is mine.”

Tony chuckled as he let go. “When did you get so smart?”

“I’m a natural.”

“Sure. Well, I’m proud of you for leaving. You’re clearly a lot better than I was at your age.” Tony turned, taking a deep breath. “So. Therapy. Probably should have put you in that a while ago. I’ll set something up.”

“Already done,” Steve said. “And before you start, the school knows. They’re having a meeting with all the students and parents.”

“Great. Can’t wait to have a talk with some people.”

“Tony,” Pepper started carefully, knowing Tony wouldn’t like what he was about to hear. “You can’t go.”

Tony spun around. “What do you mean I can’t go?”

“I can’t go either. It wouldn’t make sense. He isn’t supposed to be connected to us. I’m pretty sure you cannot pass as a Parker.”

“So then who is supposed to go?”

“They think Natasha is my mom,” Peter pointed out. All the adults looked at him in surprise. Oh yeah. They didn’t know about that. “She had to pick me up from detention once.”

“Detention?” Tony cried. A look of understanding swept across his face. “That’s why you kept referencing all those Captain America videos, isn’t it? But why did you get detention?”

“Not now, Stark.” Steve said. He walked over to the boy. “I’ll go with you.”

Peter shook his head. “Your face is plastered literally everywhere. Everyone would recognize you.”

Steve shrugged. “I’ll wear my hat and glasses.”

Peter scrunched his face in confusion. “That’s not gonna make a difference. They’ll still recognize you.”

“No they won’t. They never do.”

“How does that work?”

“Not a clue, but I’ve done it enough times to know it does.”

Peter felt much better than he had the night before. He knew everything would turn out okay. He was going to get help. 

Maybe this whole mess would somehow bring Ned back to his senses, and he would have his friend back. Peter felt optimistic.

The next morning, the superhero therapist came and talked to him. It was weird to say the least. Peter wanted help, but he didn’t like having to talk so much. He didn’t like having to go through his emotions. It made him feel vulnerable. He hated feeling vulnerable. But he did it anyway because he knew he needed help. For his own sanity, he needed the flashes to stop.

At the end of the session, she gave him a journal. She said that she wanted him to write down everything he saw whenever he had an episode. That wasn’t what he wanted to hear. She was supposed to make them stop. How would this make them stop? She said that it was supposed to help him sort through things mentally and emotionally, making sense of everything that had happened to him. He didn’t want that. He just wanted them gone. But he decided to trust the woman. She knew more about this than him. If she said this would help, he would try it.

That afternoon, Peter got ready to go to the school. He hoped everything got sorted out quickly. He was appalled at the thought that his peers had been doing all of that and he had never seen and stopped anyone. He was a hero. He was supposed to pick up on those kinds of things. But it was out in the open now, so the adults could handle it for him.

Peter was anxious to see Ned. He wanted to make sure his friend was okay. He was sure that Ned hadn’t done any of those things. His friend knew better than that, right? He had just happened to be there and had been better mentally prepared to handle it. That’s why he didn’t leave. It had to be. But now, they would come back together, and everything would be fine. They would go back to talking about superheroes and legos and tech, and they wouldn’t go to any parties after this. The past would be in the past.

Peter walked down to the garage where he met Steve. Sure enough, he was wearing civilian clothes, a baseball hat, and glasses. Peter shook his head. If people were fooled by this, they really were oblivious.

Once at the school, they followed the stream of people. Peter searched around for Ned, but he couldn’t find him. He and Steve were guided towards the gymnasium. That had been where the meeting was to be held.

At the door, everyone was checked in. The gym teacher, who was wearing his completely indifferent expression as usual, was the one checking everyone in. Of course. 

When it was their turn, the teacher looked from Peter to Steve to Peter. “Well, I see your freakish fitness is genetic,” he mumbled. He stared straight at Steve for a long time. “I feel like I’ve seen you a lot. Do I know you?”

Steve chuckled as he pushed Peter through the door. “Haha. I don’t think so. I just have one of those faces.”

“I told you it was a stupid disguise,” Peter hissed over his shoulder.

“Be quiet, kid.”

Peter looked around again, searching for both a place to sit and anyone he knew. He spotted Flash and immediately dragged Steve in the opposite direction. He did happen to notice the man with him seemed to be like a butler, not a parent. That seemed rather odd.

Peter kept looking. Finally, he saw Ned. He started walking towards him. Ned turned around, and they made eye contact. Great. Now, they could sit together….

Ned looked at his friend and the man with him. He hung his head and turned around. His parents led him to a seat, and they left no room for Peter and Steve.

That was strange. Why had he not let Peter sit with them? Especially when he saw Captain America was with him? There was no way his friend had missed that. So, why the strange behavior?

Eventually, Steve led Peter to an empty section. They sat down and waited for the whole thing to start. 

Suddenly, someone plopped down beside him. He looked to see MJ, her face in a book. Her parents sat down beside her. They were both wearing scrubs. They must have been in the medical field somehow. Probably just got off of work. Interesting. That was good to know. He made a mental note.

“Don’t get the wrong impression,” MJ said, her nose still in her book. “We just needed a seat. It’s not like I’m going out of my way to sit with you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Of course.”

Peter could see Steve eyeing him. He wondered briefly if Natasha had told him about MJ. He wouldn’t be surprised. The soldier and the spy seemed so close. And she had already told Clint. Not that it mattered if Steve knew whatever delusion Natasha had about the two teens. In reality, there was nothing between them. They were just friends, no matter what the spy and Ned were convinced of.

The meeting started. The principal talked about how he had been informed of the problem. He said he was ashamed to realize his students had been partaking in such activities, especially at an event that had started out as a school-wide celebration. 

By some miracle, the topic of Spiderman being at the party didn’t come up. Peter wasn’t sure how that happened. It seemed like a pretty big deal. Maybe the adults hadn't wanted to spread rumors. Or maybe the students had somehow realized it could affect him, so they didn't say anything. Whatever the reason, he was glad for it.

The principal talked on how damaging substances could be to a young person’s mind and reputation. To improve the situation, he said they would have searches and tests whenever they had suspicions of anyone taking substances. The floor was opened up for anyone to ask questions. Soon enough, the whole thing was over. Everyone stood to leave.

Following her parents, MJ stood. “Bye, loser.”

“Bye, MJ.” 

Peter didn’t know why, but he found it nice when she called him that. It never sounded like an insult. Just a nickname. It felt like a badge of honor in some crazy way.

Peter turned to see if Steve was ready to leave. The man was smirking at him, eyebrows raised.

Peter sighed and stood up. “Don’t even start. Natasha has done enough, thank you.”

Steve held up his hands. “I didn’t say anything. And I don’t doubt she did.”

Peter walked towards the door, a grinning Steve close behind him.


	43. Chapter 43: Turned Tables

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is where things with Ned go downhill....
> 
> I would like to explain (I know you're probably bored of hearing that by now, lol) why Peter isn't as mad at Ned as you might expect.
> 
> A while back, my friend and I had a fallout. We drifted apart due to a lot of mixed messages. My feelings were hurt, yes, but I didn't get mad at her. Both of us were going through our own things, and we had to grow on our own before we could come back together. Now, she and I have made up completely, and she's one of my closest friends.
> 
> That's what I wrote for Peter. Yes, it hurts, but he's not necessarily mad about it. He takes it in stride and learns from it. We should always work on ourselves before we try to work on things with other people. It might even help things heal naturally.
> 
> Also, I love the ending. What can I say? I'm a sucker for that kind of thing. Hope you guys like it!

Peter stared at his phone. He had been trying to figure out what to text Ned for an hour now. He knew they needed to talk. Get everything out in the open. He just wasn’t sure how.

He couldn’t get over his friend’s behavior at the meeting. It seemed so unlike him. There had to be something going on. It needed to be addressed, but someone had to initiate the conversation. That person was clearly not going to be Ned.

Finally, Peter just sent a simple text.

Hey Ned

It was short and didn’t do much, but he hoped the rest would come naturally. It was always natural between them. Peter slid the phone in his pocket and headed down to supper. 

By the time they finished eating, there was still no reply. That was odd. Ned always replied at an alarmingly rapid speed. Peter decided to text again.

Sorry I couldn’t sit with you earlier. Steve would have liked to meet you.

There. That would get a response. Ned wouldn’t pass up talking about a superhero. After a few minutes, Peter’s phone buzzed. He quickly picked it up and checked the message.

What do you want?

Peter squinted at the text. He read it again. That wasn’t right. That didn’t make any sense. He typed his next text.

I just wanted to talk to you. Haven’t had the chance to since you went off with Liz at the party.

A few minutes later, Peter received a reply.

Why did you report Liz like that? She’s in a lot of trouble. And so am I. I’m grounded. I’m not even supposed to have my phone unless I’m at school.

Look. I didn’t report anything. I just left. Besides, it’s a good thing. It was wrong. And I’m sorry you’re grounded. When will that be over so we can hang out?

But Liz and I weren’t doing anything wrong. She shouldn’t have gotten in trouble, and neither should I.

Peter couldn’t believe what he was reading. Did Ned not get it? See the dangers of that situation? This didn’t make any sense. Everything was supposed to go back to normal. They were supposed to be on the same side.

I’m sorry, Ned. But that’s just the way it is. At least we’re in this whole thing together.

My mom blames you for me being at the party. She says she doesn’t want me to hang out with you anymore.

Peter stared at the text. He couldn’t believe this. Why was this happening? He needed his friend. They had had such a strong friendship. Was that really being thrown away?

I know you’re upset about Liz. I know you like her a lot, and you really wanted to get close to her. I support you if that’s what you want. I’m sorry you both got hurt by the party, but something had to happen for all the people who were doing those things. Let’s explain things to your mom. I’m sure we can come up with something. Best friends stick together, right?”

He knew they could work this out. They had to. If he could make friends with a Camolian against all odds, he could work this out with Ned. They weren’t going to let this one setback come between them.

Sorry, Peter. I gotta go.

Ned, wait. We can work this out.

Ned. Come on, dude.

What happened to being my guy in the chair?

Ned

This was ridiculous. Ned was his best friend. His wingman. They had done everything together. Peter had told Ned everything. Literally, everything. He didn’t know what to do without Ned. He needed his friend. He needed the support. He didn’t need anyone else in the school. He could handle everything the other kids threw at him as long as he knew he had Ned. They were loner nerds together. They completed each other.

Peter took a deep breath. It would be fine. Everything would be fine. Emotions were high at the moment. It would all cool down. He would walk into class the next day, and Ned would greet him with open arms.

Except, he didn’t.

Ned turned around. He refused to look at Peter. Peter kept trying to talk to him, but he refused. 

This was ridiculous.

At lunch, Peter went to sit with his friend, but the boy walked straight past him. He went and sat with… Liz? Okay. That hurt. His friend would rather sit with her than him? He saw Ned pull out his phone. Fine. If he wouldn’t talk face to face, Peter would resort to desperate measures.

Ned. Come on, man. What are you doing?

Sitting with Liz. All the kids are mad at her for getting them in trouble. They don’t want to sit with her.

Then we can all sit together. It’ll be great.

Peter watched as Ned read the text and slid his phone into his pocket. The boy turned to Liz and started talking. Great. They were going to come over. But they didn’t. The two sat together the entire time.

Peter felt like he was being crushed. He felt like he was back on the base, everyone against him. Before Hisha had befriended him.

“Awww, poor Parker. All by himself,” Flash spoke as if he was talking to a baby. “Serves you right, loser.”

Peter sullenly turned to his food. Flash walked away laughing. The bully had won, but Peter didn’t care. 

He sat there. Alone. Feeling sorry for himself. He knew that was pointless. He had learned a long time ago pity got you nowhere. He learned it was better to brush it off and ignore it. But had he really learned that? He thought back to what Steve said. Maybe he hadn’t learned that was best. Maybe it was better to feel. To let his human side come out.

He decided to give it a try.

Peter took the time to himself to look around. He had never really done that. He always focused on Ned. He began to recognize cliques. Not surprising. What did surprise him was when he saw Flash eating by himself. That was odd. He would have thought the popular rich guy would have lots of people wanting to sit with him. They had probably just left already.

Peter went about the rest of the school day watching people. He had forgotten how much you could learn from a distance. In that one afternoon by himself, he learned more about his fellow students than he had the entire time he had been there.

He realized something about himself too. He didn’t need to be tied to someone. He was fully capable of staying on his own. He had been using Ned as his crutch in this new world. He hadn’t known how to act in the environment, so he clung to one person. 

Before Ned, he had latched himself to MJ. That’s why he had ended up here in the first place. He had been attracted to her, and he had wanted to get out of the tower. She was his way of doing that. 

Once he got to school, he had interacted with Flash. When he didn’t know how to handle that, Ned showed up. He then clung to Ned, refusing to let go and learn how to act by himself. But now, he was being forced to do that. And it honestly made him proud that he was still standing.

As he walked out of the school that day, he watched Ned from afar. He was walking with Liz. Peter could tell even from a distance that his friend wasn’t acting like himself. He was trying to get the girl to like him more. Based on the glances from other students, it appeared Liz was losing her popularity. She turned to Ned, giving him the attention he wanted because she longed for the attention he was giving him.

Peter felt sorry for them. He remembered what Ned’s mom had said about him being lonely and needing more friends. He understood this was his attempt to that. He wanted a girlfriend and popularity, and this was his opportunity. It was the wrong way to go about it, but he couldn’t see that at the moment.

Peter realized something. Trying to force himself back onto Ned wasn’t going to get anywhere. They had come together when they needed each other. They were each other’s way of getting rid of loneliness. Neither one of them had actually addressed how they were feeling. That’s why everything had come crashing down around them. Peter knew he had to let Ned sort it out on his own, and his friend would come back to him eventually. And he would greet him with open arms when it happened.

In the meantime, he needed to work on himself. He needed to better discover who he was. Now that he had gotten his foot through the door, the school wasn’t as scary of a place. He could try to navigate it on his own for the time being. Just like his therapist wanted him to do, he would have to face his feelings and learn what to make of them. This wasn’t the end of the world. He just had to keep going.

Peter watched people pass him. He found it interesting. He used to do this all the time when he was growing up. He hadn’t realized just how nice it was and how much he missed it until now.

Nearly everyone had left when he started walking towards the exit. As he did so, he heard a scream and thunk from the parking lot. He turned to see Flash at his car. Peter watched the boy from a distance. It appeared that his car wasn’t working. He could understand why the boy was aggravated, although his current method of fixing the problem was not going to get him anywhere.

Peter warily walked towards Flash. He might not know a lot about cars, but he was sure he could at least try to help. He had worked on all kinds of other, very complicated pieces of technology.

“You need some help?” he called as he drew nearer.

Flash looked up and glared at him. “Not from you. Go away, loser.”

“Look, man. I’m good with fixing things….”

“I said I don’t need help!” Flash stormed to the driver’s seat and hopped in. He turned the key. The vehicle made a weird noise and then stopped.

“Sounds like the engine,” Peter commented. 

He had heard the same noise on some small, land ships at the base. He had helped fix them multiple times. Not to mention all the engines around in the tower. He was almost certain he could help Flash.

“You can’t possibly know that from the sound.”

“Yeah, actually, I can. It’s very distinct. Let me take a look.”

Flash narrowed his eyes at him. “Why would you do that? I’m not gonna be nice to you ‘cause of some stupid favor, nerd.”

Peter shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. It’s wrong for me to do nothing when I have the ability to do something.”

After a moment, there was a pop, and the car hood opened. Peter started scanning it. It didn’t take long for him to find the problem. Just as he suspected, this was very similar to the engines he was used to.

“You got any tools I could use?” he asked.

“I might. It’s my dad’s car, so he probably has some. I’ll check.” Flash went to the trunk and rummaged around for a minute. He came back with a handful of tools and placed them on the ground by Peter.

Peter grabbed the one he needed and set to work. He smiled to himself. This was nice. Well, not the being with Flash part. But helping someone by fixing things. He forgot how much he missed it. It was nice to help someone in a normal way. No life-threatening danger. No mask. Just him helping someone with an everyday dilemma. One that he had helped others with as long as he could remember.

He realized he really had been suppressing everything. Sure, he had accepted his place on earth and his place as a Stark. But he had been trying to find his new self so much that he had been getting rid of his old self. He saw now that he didn’t have to do that. He didn’t have to find his identity in this new place in new people. He was a mixture of his old self and his new one. He didn’t have to start from scratch.

Maybe that’s why he kept having the flashes. His mind was lashing out at him for shoving everything away. He wasn’t letting it come out in him naturally, so it had to come out in another way. He was just now seeing everything in a different light. That’s why it all felt so terrifying. Now, he knew what had actually been happening.

But that didn’t explain the strange aliens. The grey, big ones.

“Parker! Stop zoning out when you’re working on my car. I don’t like it.”

Peter looked up at Flash. “Sorry. My bad.”

Soon enough, he was finished with the car. 

“Try it again,” he instructed.

Flash plopped down in the seat and turned the key. This time, the car started and stayed on. Flash looked at Peter in surprise. “You actually did it.”

“I told you I could help.” He started to gather the tools and walked back to the trunk.

Flash hopped out of the seat and turned to the boy. He pointed a finger at him accusingly. “You better not have rigged it or something. If this breaks, I’ll have my parents sue you.”

“Well, it’s a good thing it won’t break then.” Peter closed the trunk, brushed past Flash, and grabbed his bookbag. He started to walk away. He had nothing more to do there. He should probably be getting home.

“Hey, Parker.”

He turned around.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

“I’m not gonna be your friend now. I don’t need a friend.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it….” 

As he looked at Flash, Peter had an epiphany. The boy was lonely. As he thought back, he realized he hadn’t seen the boy with any friends. Ever. He had never seen his family. He was always alone. And he most often picked on people over friendships – whether for lacking them or for having weird ones.

Flash lashed out due to insecurity stemming from his own lack of relationships. If no one showed they cared about him, he would make everyone else feel just as uncared for. It was an endless cycle, building upon itself. The only way to break it was for someone else to offer a way out.

“…but you can always feel free to sit with me. I won’t shove you away.”

Flash’s eyes grew wide as Peter’s words sunk it. He hastily drove off, sending Peter the middle finger as he passed.

Despite the gesture, Peter could tell his words had hit their mark. He knew he had let the bully know there was someone who wasn’t going to make him feel like crap, even if he didn’t return the favor. Who knew. It might even be the instigator for Flash changing his own behavior.

Peter walked towards the bus station, pondering all the things he had learned today.


	44. Chapter 44: What Stands in the Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys. This is sort of like the beginning of the ending. We're getting super close now. That's crazy to believe.
> 
> So. We all know how Peter Parker is known for his innocence. I mean, he even saves the bad guy in Homecoming.... Yeah, not this one. He was already a soldier, and that comes out through killing bad guys. Especially in the climax. So if that bothers you, so sorry, but oh well. Just know its gonna happen.
> 
> Anyway. Lots of fun stuff. Much more MJ in this and the next chapter. That's always great. And blood loss always helps with decision making... yeah Peter doesn't make great decisions at the end, but oh well. Obviously he doesn't die.
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Peter sped down the sidewalk. He had missed his bus, so he decided to run home. Just for the fun of it, he was taking the scenic route.

He took a detour and ran towards that park. He wanted to see the beautiful scenery. Just enjoy the moment. He had given up on seeing MJ there.

As he neared the entrance, he saw MJ walking. Of course she was. Right when he stopped expecting it. He was about to call out to her when he realized she was heading into a building. When he looked, he saw it was an apartment complex. That actually made sense. She probably lived there and went to the park to read.

Peter had come to terms with the way he felt about her. He realized he did like her. That’s why he felt that funny way around her. He wasn’t going to deny it and blame the whole thing on Natasha anymore. But he wasn’t going to do anything about it either. He wanted to get closer to her as a friend. He wanted to learn about her. Maybe one day, they could change into something different. Something more. But that was not now. He needed to learn who he was by himself first.

He ran past MJ’s apartment building and into the park. It really was a nice park. He enjoyed the view. Well, as much as he could at his speed past it. There was a loop running through it that he ran around a few times. Nearing the entrance for the last time, he was paying so much attention to his other surrounding that he almost didn’t see MJ.

Almost.

Once he did see her, he stopped in front of her bench. “Hey, MJ.”

She was sketching this time. “Hey.”

He pointed to her notepad. “Whatcha drawing?”

“Someone in crisis,” MJ replied. She put down her pencil and flipped the notebook up so he could see. It was him, running so fast there were dust clouds behind him like in the cartoons. He was panting for air much harder than he was in real life, and there was a dog chasing him. MJ flipped the picture back around and started messing with it again. “My picture was much more interesting than reality.”

Peter laughed. “Yeah, I’d say so.”

“I take it you don’t need that help with reading or whatever anymore?”

Oh. He had completely forgotten about that. “Yeah. I think I’m good.” He paused. “Unless, you just want to. I mean, I wouldn’t mind hanging out. Talking about books and… stuff.”

MJ looked up and narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you asking me out?”

“What? Nonononono. I was just… I mean… I meant… just hanging out… like… never mind. Ignore everything I just said.”

MJ turned back to her sketching. “Whatever you say, loser.”

Peter stood there, unsure of what to say or do next. He decided to just leave. “See you later, MJ."

"Bye.”

Peter darted out of the park. He ran back to the tower, taking some shortcuts he had found while swinging above them. It wasn’t long before he arrived home. He went straight to the common room floor.

Steve placed a plate on the counter as he walked in the kitchen. It had become somewhat of a tradition. Everyday, the man would make a sandwich and give it to him when he walked in. Peter didn’t know how he always knew when to make it since he came at different times. He just accepted it though. He was Captain America after all.

“Have a nice run?”

“Oh yeah. Since I was by myself, I actually got a challenge. Unlike our runs.” He smirked as he took a bite of his food.

“Oh ha ha. You better be careful. I can stop making your snacks.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Peter said overdramatically. “I might just die without them.” He slapped the back of his hand to his forehead. “I grow faint just at the thought. How would I ever manage to make it on my own.”

“Exactly. So watch what you’re saying.” Steve mocked seriousness, but Peter could see he was fighting a smile.

Peter swallowed another bite. “Speaking of a challenge, any word from Natasha or Clint? SHIELD must have them on a serious mission for them to be away this long.”

“Yeah. Haven’t heard anything from them, but I talked to Fury the other day. Based off of what he said, I wouldn’t be surprised if they aren’t back for a while.”

Peter grew concerned. “Why? What did he say?”

Steve leaned onto the counter. “Nothing specific. Just about it being something really big that they had to stop now. It sounded like they were worried something would get out of control. It was also concerning how few agents were at the base. That means there are a lot of people out there. And I can almost guarantee that Barton and Romanoff will be the last ones pulled out of the field.”

Peter didn’t like that. He missed having them around. He missed playing with Clint. The man would act like a giant child sometimes, making him so fun to be around. And Natasha. He missed sparring with her. And knowing he could have someone to talk to about his Spiderman stuff. He wanted them back now. The longer they stayed out there, the more likely it was that they would get hurt. Or worse. He couldn’t stand the thought.

Peter finished his homework pretty quickly. He didn’t feel like training any more for the day. He did enough of that with his run.

He decided to spend the afternoon in the lab. Tony wasn’t there, so he was able to work on something for his suit.

The other night, he had watched some dragon movie with Pepper. In it, the guy jumped off his dragon and used some suit to glide on his own. Peter thought that looked really fun. It could also come in handy for someone who spends so much time high in the air. 

He decided he wanted one.

It wasn’t very hard to design. Just like in the movie, he had little straps to hold it in place. When he wanted to glide, he would slip his wrists into two small loops and pull the webbing open so he could glide. When he was done, he would just fasten down the flaps. The material he used was very lightweight. This helped him stay up longer. When it was folded, it was thin enough to not impede his other functions.

Satisfied with his design, he set to work on finding the materials. He made sure once more that Tony wasn’t near and started adding the feature to his suit. It didn’t take long. In about an hour, he finished and put the suit away.

That night, he went out for a patrol. He enjoyed testing his new toy. He would swing up as high as possible and then let go, unlatching his glider wings. It was a wonderous feeling souring through the air. He understood why birds were always singing happily. It was so nice up high, gliding around without a care. He wished he never had to come down.

He went about his business as usual. He stopped a drug deal, something he had even more of a passion about after seeing so many teens taking the stuff. He wanted to stop as many people as possible to prevent more from getting hooked on the stuff.

He also stopped a robbery, helped an old man find his way since he couldn’t see in the dark, and chased down a young lady’s cat that had gotten loose. All in all, he felt pretty accomplished.

As he was heading back, he got this weird, dreaded sense. All his hairs stood on end. A shiver ran down his spine. Dropping to the ground, he searched the area. He didn’t find anything, so he prepared to move on. 

Then, his stomach clenched. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Something big was about to happen.

Adrenaline coursed through him. Paranoia set in. Every shadow or sound set him on edge. He grew cold. It was as if an alarm was going off in his brain, but he couldn’t do anything about it. The only time he felt like this was… around that orb… or when the flashes came.

He needed to get out of here.

As he prepared to leave, he saw movement in the dark. He took a closer look. 

There was a strange shadow. But… were those yellow eyes? Yup. And they were staring at him. And they were on the shadow of a… Camolian? What was a Camolian doing here? Weren’t they all gone? But wait. This was much too big to be a Camolian. And it was grey… and those claws…

This was one of the aliens in his flashes. They were real. And they were here. He bet the orb had some connection to these beings. Maybe a tracker or reconnaissance device before the aliens themselves came? Didn’t really matter now. They were clearly here themselves now.

The eyes gradually crept closer to him. The creature stepped out of the shadows. This was the first time he was seeing the whole alien clearly. His flashes rarely showed anything besides claws. It looked like… the Great Mediator.

This was insane. And terrifying. But he needed to get out of there.

Peter spun around and shot a stream of webbing. He yanked himself off the ground, but a claw grabbed his foot and threw him painfully to the ground. Peter rolled onto his back so he could see the opponent above him. It was so large. But that could work for him. He kicked at the knee, just as he would a Camolian. This seemed to throw it slightly off balance, but it quickly recovered. It produced a loud clicking sound, sending shivers along Peter’s nerves.

It swung a claw at him, and he rolled out of the way. He pushed himself off the ground and started sprinting. He hoped his super speed would give him some time. He heard a few steps behind him before sharp pain penetrated his torso.

He screamed as the claws were pulled out of his body. Running with his back turned had clearly been a horrible decision. He spun around to face the alien. He prepared to fight, but his arms were quickly pinned to his sides as one giant claw wrapped around him, lifting him off the ground. The being started to examine him, and then it sniffed him.

Peter squirmed. He had to get free. At least partly. After great effort, he managed to free one of his arms. He punched at the alien’s throat with all of his super strength. He watched as his hand sunk straight through a small soft spot on the neck. The entire rest of its body seemed to be covered in tiny, hard scales. Apparently, he had had one lucky punch. 

Black blood oozed around his fist. The alien crashed to its knees, landing on top of him. He was being crushed by the weight. 

He managed to push the creature off of him. By the time he did so, his head was spinning. He was in shock and losing a lot of blood. He could tell the claw had niched something important. His health was declining rapidly. It was too fast for his healing factor to keep up.

He looked in the direction of the tower. He couldn’t even see it yet as it was so far away. There was no way he would make it in time. He knew he couldn’t call any of the Avengers since they would find out his secret. He couldn’t go to the hospital because they would notify his parents.

He started stumbling along. He hoped he would find or think of something to do. As he moved, his condition quickly worsened. This wasn’t going to work. He needed a new plan. He needed medical attention, and he needed it quick.

He collapsed to the ground as his body failed him. He stared into space. All his senses were pulsating. He wasn’t getting enough blood to his brain. It wouldn’t be long before it started to shut down.

Slowly, his eyes focused on a familiar fence. He was by a park. He was by that park….

He was near MJ. He suddenly remembered seeing her parents at that meeting. They were wearing scrubs. They would be able to help him.

With shaking hands, he opened his pocket and pulled out his phone. Thankfully, it wasn’t damaged from his being thrown and crushed. For once, something had gone well for him. He scrolled through his contacts and found MJ. Thank you, Ned, for getting that. He sent a text, pleading with the universe that she would respond quickly.

MJ. It’s Peter. I really need help. Medical help. I have nowhere else to go. I’m by your apartment. Will you please turn on your light and open your window? I know it’s crazy, but please. This is urgent.

Peter could feel himself starting to slip away. If she didn’t reply soon…. Should he have just called her? Probably. Maybe he should go ahead and do that…. He looked at his phone as is buzzed.

Done. Do you want me to get my parents up?

Peter shoved the phone back in his pocket. With his remaining strength, he pushed himself off the ground and staggered towards the apartment. He looked up and easily found the window he needed to go to. Why did it have to be the third floor? He stumbled to the wall and started his slow ascent. He didn’t trust himself swinging in his condition. He did not want to faceplant into the wall and then fall.

As his vision turned dark, he reached the window. He blindly pulled himself in before lapsing into unconsciousness.


	45. Chapter 45: Gotta Go Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back! We get more MJ content- obviously. I mean, imagine if I didn't conclude the last chapter and just jumped to something else entirely, lol. That would be horrible.
> 
> Anyway, not much else to say on this. Hope everybody likes it!

Peter became vaguely aware of distorted voices. Although, he didn’t think the voices themselves were distorted. He was pretty sure that was his hearing.

He felt himself zoning in and out. He could feel his body being moved even though he wasn’t moving himself. He wasn’t sure what the people moving him were doing, but he trusted them. He felt safe. There were no alarms going off in his head. There were no shivers down his spine. There were no claws or weird noises. He was okay. He let himself stay in that fluctuating state.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes as he regained alertness. He was lying on the floor on his stomach. He tried to push himself up but stopped when he felt the resistance from his back.

A hand gently pushed him down. “Hey. You need to stay down. Don’t want you messing anything up.”

Peter tilted his head to see MJ’s mother looking down at him. She reached to her side and grabbed a bottle of water. She carefully put it to his mouth, and he gratefully took a sip. His throat was extremely dry. Probably from lack of fluids. He would be surprised if he wasn’t dehydrated from his loss of blood.

The woman spoke softly and clearly. “My name is Samantha Jones. You’re in my house. I’m helping you. Can you please tell me your name? I want to make sure you remember.”

“Peter.” His voiced cracked as he forced the words out. “Stark. Or Parker. Depends on who you ask.”

“Okay. Can you tell me what happened to you?”

Peter shuddered as he remembered the alien. The terror it caused. The way he was powerless against it. 

“I was attacked. I needed help. I couldn’t get anywhere else, but I knew I was near MJ. I remembered you. I thought you could help.”

“Well, I’m glad you were rational enough to think that through. But, you should have called 911.”

Peter shook his head. “No. They would call my parents. My parents can’t know.”

“Sweetheart, your parents need to know about this.”

“No. You don’t understand. They can’t know.” 

He started trying to get up once again. If they were going to try and tell his parents, he had to get out of there. As he moved, his head started spinning. He was not in any condition to move. But he knew he couldn’t stay and risk the consequences.

A gentle hand pushed him back down. “Okay. Okay. Just stay here. We won’t tell anyone at the moment. But you have to stay here. Your well-being is our top priority.”

Peter nodded. He was glad he didn’t have to leave. He wasn’t sure he would have made it. He knew he would have to go home soon though. At least by breakfast. He could come in and tell them he went out for an early run or something. But he had to be able to get there. He had to know if he could move.

“What did you do for me?” he asked.

“You had some pretty deep puncture wounds. The gashes nicked your ribs. Thank goodness they stopped at the bone or it could have been much worse. We closed you up with some degradable stitches. You seem to be healing at an unnatural rate though.”

“Yeah. That’s probably cause of my altered genetics.”

“Altered genetics? Is that why you’re able to do the things you do?”

“Some of them, yeah.”

The woman sighed. “I have to be frank. I don’t like the idea of a kid so young doing the all those crazy thing. It’s much too dangerous. Tonight proves that.”

“That’s exactly why I have to do them,” he replied. “I know that might be hard to understand, but I have spent my life being trained to do what is right. Or what I was told was right. And now, I have to do good with it. I have to do the things no one else can. I’m the friendly neighborhood Spiderman.”

“Not for a little while, you won’t be. If you don’t rest, you can permanently injure yourself.”

“Can I walk and run?”

She sent him a very disapproving look. “I know I cannot stop you from doing any hero business, but I frown upon any fighting or flying through the city in your condition. Especially with the amount of pressure all that swinging does on your back and shoulders. I cannot see that ending well.”

“I know. I get it. I won’t do any of that until I’m better. I just know I need to get home.”

Their locked eyes. Peter could tell she was having a mental battle. She really didn’t want to let him go, but she also knew he would go anyway. She could either help him get better quicker, or he could go his own way and hurt himself in the process – if not worse. Neither were good options, but they were the only ones she had.

Finally, she sighed. “You can walk. But we will take you most of the way. And that is not optional.”

Peter breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes. Of course. Thank you.”

Misses Jones turned as if she heard something. Peter didn’t hear anything, but his senses were still going haywire. She smiled at him. “I’ll be back briefly. I’ll get Michelle to come sit with you.” She stood and walked away, calling over her shoulder. “Don’t even think about getting up.”

Peter closed his eyes. This was not how he had wanted his night to go. He had been having so much fun with his new gliding function. It had been such a promising start to his night. He should have known it was too good to last.

He couldn’t get that alien out of his mind. It had looked just like the Great Mediator. It hadn’t made sense at first, but the pieces were starting to fit together. When he learned about the past of Camolia, it always seemed the Great Mediator had come out of nowhere. He hadn’t been in the original fighting. That meant he had to have been from outside the Camolian system – outside of their world. He had been revered like a god. He had taught them so many things, like how to fly between planets. He was the one who instructed the Alliance to take over the other planets in his name. If he had come and taken over Camolia, it made sense that he would want other planets taken over as well. And if he wanted that, and one of his species had come here….

Earth was in serious danger.

He had to tell someone. But who? The only person he would be able to tell was Natasha, but she was out with SHIELD on some super-secret mission with some… serious threat… that needed to be gotten rid of as quickly as possible….

SHIELD already knew. Thank goodness. That meant people up higher than him could take care of it. He wouldn’t have to worry about aliens. He had dealt with those enough for one lifetime. He could now focus on getting better and being his normal, small hero self.

“Hey, loser.”

Peter glanced up to see MJ looking down at him. She was clearly in shock, not sure what to make of anything she was seeing. Based on her body language and facial expression, she clearly did not feel comfortable having an injured boy in her house. He couldn’t blame her for being freaked out. He had thrust a lot upon her. She probably hadn’t wanted this. He wouldn’t have wanted a bloody guy climbing in through his window in the middle of the night either.

He painfully rolled onto his side. He made sure not to move his back too much, but he still wanted to see MJ as he spoke to her.

“MJ, I’m so sorry. I never would have wanted to put this on you. I swear, if I could have thought of anything else, I would have. But….”

“I get it,” she said. “Well, not really. But, I get you needed help and didn’t know where else to go. And my parents are really good at what they do, so I’m glad they could help.”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “They seem to know a lot about what to do.”

“Working in a New York ER does that to people.”

Peter chuckled but quickly stopped as he felt the stiches pulling. “I imagine so.”

MJ walked over and sat by his head. “You know, I fully expect you to pay for my room to get cleaned. It’s your blood, so I’m not paying for it.”

Peter smiled. He had to admit, she was a great person to be stuck with. She knew just what to say to make him feel better. To take his mind off all the crazy and his physical state. He wasn’t sure if she was trying to do that or if that was just her natural response. Either way, he was glad she was joking around.

“Absolutely. You break it, you buy it.”

“Exactly.”

Peter grinned as a thought hit him. “So. You drawn me in crisis yet?”

MJ smirked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. This is definitely not a crisis.”

“Oh, yeah. But me running peacefully was.”

“I wanted to make your life more interesting.” She gave him a quick look over before sending him a smug expression. “It worked.”

Peter grimaced as a laugh escaped him. “Yeah. Yeah, it did. Good job.”

“Thanks. I was born for it.”

They sat in silence for a little. Peter just enjoyed sitting with her. It felt comforting. She made him relaxed. She made him open up. Ironically, he had done so a little more than he would have liked.

“So. I guess you know I’m Spiderman now.”

“Oh, I’d already figured that out.”

Peter’s already malfunctioning mind came to a screeching halt. He stared at her in shock. “How in the world did you find out?”

“It’s sort of obvious,” she said flatly. “I started watching you when you took a picture of me as Spiderman. Then, I kept seeing Spiderman swing by here, looking at the bench I was at. Later, a boy with the same build who was clearly athletic was stalking me on that same bench. You said you had just moved here, and Spiderman had just showed up. At school, you were always unnaturally fit. And just plain weird. There were lots of little things that increased my suspicions, but what confirmed it was when Black Widow and Captain America came as your parents.”

“You noticed that, huh.”

“Obviously. I’m not an idiot. A change of clothes and some glasses doesn’t change your face.”

“That’s what I said.”

He looked up at the girl in wonder. She was such a genius. She was amazing. He had never met anyone else like her. Except for Natasha. But she didn’t count. She had been trained to be that smart and perceptive. MJ was just that way naturally. How could he not like this girl? 

“Is that why you didn’t hesitate when opening the window?” he questioned.

“Yup.”

He smiled at her. “You’re awesome. You know that, right?”

She shrugged. “I know I’m pretty fabulous.”

Peter heard a door opening. At least his hearing was improving. But wait. Why was the door opening? When Misses Jones said she was leaving, did she mean literally? What had she gone to do? Had she turned him in? This wouldn’t be good.

His questions and anxiety must have been very evident. Either that or MJ really did have that same freaky power Natasha had. Both were just as probable.

“My parents had to go get blood for a transfusion. They didn’t want you going anywhere without knowing you got it. It’s not like we keep blood around the house though.”

Mister and Misses Jones walked through the door. Sure enough, they were carrying some blood-transfusion bags. They quickly hooked him up, resupplying his empty circulatory system. They also gave him a few crackers so he could take some medicine. They gave him some antibiotics to take home to prevent the wound from getting infected.

As the sun began to rise, Peter knew it was time for him to go. With some help, he got up. Carefully, he walked down to the car. The Jones’s drove him until he was about a block away from the tower where he had left his bookbag. Thank goodness he decided to leave the tower in his civilian clothes. He thanked them once again for everything they had done for him, promising to be careful.

As the car drove away, he slowly slipped into his clothes. It was a lot harder when he could barely move his back, but he managed.

He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and headed towards the tower.


	46. Chapter 46: Too Much Exercise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is our precious boy an idiot in this chapter once again? Absolutely. Lesson of the day, don't push yourself when you're injured. I'd know. I'm really bad about ignoring my body's signals to stop when I'm hurt. I once split my knee open - tendon sticking out, socket visible, the whole deal. I then busted my stitches because I refused to just sit and not do things... 0/10 Would not recommend.
> 
> Anyway. A little more MJ. Plus Ned's back. All good things, all good things. Had some time to think over his actions. I hope it doesn't feel rushed. I tried to make it seem natural. Like I said before, they sort of had to work it out on their own and then just come back together naturally. Hope it comes across that way. Flash is here too for the tiniest little snipit. That's fun.
> 
> And I know you've all been wondering how Tony and Pepper would respond to Peter walking through the door in his state. Hope it lives up to the wait (probably not, but I tried my best, lol).
> 
> Enjoy!

Peter leaned heavily on the elevator wall. It had been excruciating getting there. But he knew he had to get back. At least it looked like he’d had a hard run.

The doors opened, and he stepped onto the Stark floor. Both Tony and Pepper were sitting at the table eating.

“Hey, kiddo,” Tony said. “I figured you went for a run. Have fun?”

“Yeah, yeah. It was great.” It took a lot of effort for him to not let the pain come across in his voice, but he somehow managed. He walked slowly and very stiffly across the room.

Tony’s eyes narrowed as he watched his son. “You okay? You don’t look so good.”

Shoot. Apparently, he wasn’t as good at hiding things as he used to be. Or his dad just cared more than everyone back on Camolia. Both were just as probable.

“Yeah, yeah. Just worked really hard on my run. And I didn’t stretch enough.”

Pepper’s face morphed into a grimace. “You shouldn’t do that. You don’t want to hurt yourself. That can cause serious problems.”

Peter let out a single, humorless laugh. He immediately regretted it as it pulled on his back muscles. Thankfully, it didn’t hurt quite as much as it had when he first laughed with MJ. His enhanced healing must be helping him a lot. Way to go evil Camolian doctors. “I’m noticing that. I won’t do it again. Believe me.”

“Good. We saved you some breakfast,” Pepper said. “Why don’t you go get a shower and get ready for school. Then you can come get it.”

Peter silently obliged. As he undressed, he examined his back in the mirror. It was not a pretty sight. Not that his skin had ever been clear. He couldn’t remember a time he didn’t have scars. But that didn’t bother him. Although, he hoped he wouldn’t have to change in front of or be examined by anyone in the near future. 

Peter came out and ate breakfast. It took a lot of control for him to act like he was fine. Tony and Pepper still eyed him warily. He made up an excuse about being sore from lifting weights as well. Tony made a comment about how he needed to back off on his physical activity for a while, but both parents dropped the topic after that.

Once he was out of their sight again, he downed some ibuprofen he had swiped from the bathroom. It rarely helped him. His metabolism was too high. But it was all he had, and trying something was be better than nothing. 

He walked to the bus station. He was adjusting to walking differently, so that helped a lot. As long as he didn’t make any sharp movements, it was tolerable. 

It did hurt quite a bit being jostled around on the bumpy bus ride. It was still more bearable than running or swinging would have been. He definitely wasn’t doing any Spiderman work for a little while.

By the time he got to school, Peter was about to fall asleep where he stood. He was exhausted. He hadn’t gotten any sleep, unless you count passing out as sleeping. And he had been very active during the day. Adding his body trying to heal itself on top of that, and he was surprised he could keep his eyes open at all. He wasn’t sure how he was going to make it through the school day in this condition. But he refused to get in trouble for sleeping again.

He trudged into the school with all the other students and went to his classes. He stared at the teachers blankly. Nothing they were saying registered in his brain. He hoped nothing was too important. He would just have to read through his schoolbooks later and hope for the best.

When lunch rolled around, he sat down at his usual, empty table. He folded his arms on it and leaned his head against them. He didn’t have the energy to eat. He just wanted to go home. He wanted sleep.

He groaned as he realized he had PE next. Great. Fantastic. Just what he needed. He closed his eyes, hoping to get a few minutes of sleep between now and then.

Peter jolted upright as someone dropped their stuff on the opposite end of his table. Peter’s back protested greatly to the sudden movement, but he ignored it. He was too shocked at who was sitting down.

Flash Thompson. 

When the boy saw Peter looking at him, he sharpened his gaze in annoyance. “I’m not taking you up on that stupid offer. My normal table has stuff for that school dance on it. This was the only seat not taken.”

Peter looked. Sure enough, there were a whole lot of boxes on Flash’s table. He had completely forgotten about the dance. He had no intentions of going, even before the whole party thing. He vaguely remembered the principal saying in that parent meeting that it would be heavily supervised to prevent any improper behavior. He didn’t care though. He still didn’t want to go. He would rather stay home then be at some dance. He didn’t even like dancing.

Peter felt something touch his arm. It was sheets of paper… with notes from his last class. It clearly wasn’t everything taught, but it was more than he had. At the top of the page, there was a note. 

Notes For Exam.

He looked up at Flash. The boy had his gaze fixed on his food. He was clearly trying to pretend he hadn’t done it, but Peter knew it was him. It was his handwriting, and he was the only one close enough to have given it to him.

“Thank you,” he said.

“We’re not friends,” Flash replied sharply. “Now we’re even. I don’t like being in someone’s debt. You helped me, now I helped you. Things can go back to normal.”

Peter grinned as he folded the paper and tucked it carefully into his bag. He understood what Flash was saying. He would have felt the same way. He didn’t like feeling like a charity case.

The two didn’t speak again for the duration of lunch. Peter tried to sleep. He was just about to drift off when the bell rang, signaling he had to leave for PE. This greatly irritated him, but there was nothing he could do about it.

He was very careful when he changed into his gym clothes. He made sure no one was looking, and he turned his back to the lockers for extra measures. He didn’t want anyone seeing his back. He was one of the last boys out of the locker room and into the gymnasium.

He sat down on the bleachers and awaited his teacher’s instructions. 

Today, they were going to start off with some jogging. Everyone groaned. Normally, Peter would have loved this, but today he dreaded it. He didn’t know how he was going to do this. But he couldn’t just sit there and not even try. That would be too suspicious. And it would make him look weak. He hated looking weak. He got up with everyone else. For the first time, he had no problem going so slowly.

With every step, his back hurt worse. He was scared he would rip out the stitches. He straightened his spine and kept it that way to the best of his abilities. That did nothing. The impact on his back was too great. It was getting worse. He was slowing down. All of a sudden, he felt himself growing nauseous. He tried to push through it, but it continued to escalate. He tasted the acid as it was coming up into his mouth.

He sprinted to the side of the room, ignoring his back’s protests. He could hear the teacher yell after him, but he didn’t stop. He had barely made it to a trash can when he started retching. He was amazed by how much came out of his mouth. He didn’t think his stomach could possibly still have that much food from his small breakfast. But it just kept coming until his system had been completely emptied. 

Surprisingly, he felt better after that. He didn’t know why such a disgusting thing would have helped, but he was glad it did.

He felt a hand between his shoulders, thankfully well above his injuries. He turned his head to see MJ. 

“You’re an idiot,” she said.

Peter gave a soft chuckle. “Yeah. I know I am.”

“How have you survived this long?”

“Are you alright, Parker?” the teacher asked from the other side of him.

“Not really,” he replied. He stood up so he was no longer leaning on the trash can. It smelled horrible and was just making his stomach churn again.

“Why don’t you sit this one out.” It was more of a command than a request.

Peter walked slowly towards the bleachers, MJ and the teacher on either side of him. Once there, he laid down flat on his stomach. He didn’t feel like sitting up anymore. He closed his eyes. The teacher told MJ she could sit with him, making sure he was okay and helping him if he needed it. She sat down by his head, and the teacher went back to the other students.

“You know,” MJ began. “I’m not sick of you or anything, but you should really stop making me sit by you when you’re sick. It’s getting old quick.”

“I’ll try to keep that in mind.”

“Good. ‘Cause there are much better ways to get a girl’s attention.”

“I’m not trying to get your attention.”

MJ snorted. “Mmhmm. Sure. Then why did you keep stalking me at the park for so long?”

Peter lifted his head. She was looking at him with such confidence. She knew she was right. He knew she was right. But he wasn’t going to admit that to her. 

“I was stalking the dogs.”

MJ rolled her eyes and turned to watch the class. “Whatever you say, loser.”

They stayed in a comfortable silence. Well, as silent as it could be when there were a bunch of grumbling kids running around in the same room. Peter liked being there with MJ. He liked how she didn’t make a big deal out of things. She didn’t act surprised over anything. She was so calm and indifferent no matter what was thrown at her. He needed more people like that in his hectic life.

He laid his head back down and gradually drifted to sleep.

He woke up when the class was over. He heard everyone storming towards the locker room. Except for one pair of footsteps. They stopped right in front of him. He opened his eyes to see a nervous Ned standing there.

“Hey,” the boy said.

Peter slowly sat up, making sure to move his back as little as possible. He turned to face his friend. “Hey.”

“This, uh… this an effect from your… night routine?”

“Something like that.”

“You think you’ll be better soon?”

“Hopefully. Misses Jones said to be careful for a while. And we both saw what happened when I wasn’t.” He gestured to the trash can he threw up in. “So, I probably won’t be doing much for a little bit.”

Ned nodded. As his friend’s words sunk in, he furrowed his brow. “Wait. Misses Jones?”

“Oh. Yeah. MJ’s parents stitched me up.”

“Soooo….”

“She knows.” Peter grinned as he recalled his conversation with her on the topic. “Apparently, she’s known for a while.”

Ned’s eyes grew wide. “Oh. Wow. That’s cool, I guess.”

Ned fidgeted awkwardly as he tried to figure out what to say. He eventually spoke. “Look. I’ve been a jerk. I had made this image in my head of how great my life would be if I could just get popular. I would have all the friends I wanted. I would get the girl I liked. I didn’t care what it took for me to get there. So, when I saw the opportunity, I took it. At your expense. I really hurt you, and I risked your whole hero reputation. I’m really sorry. I realize now that none of it was worth it. Your friendship was better than any of the things I thought I wanted. And I’m really sorry if I ruined it.”

“Don’t worry about it. It was a learning experience for both of us.” 

He wasn’t going to hold a grudge. He didn’t see the point in that. He did miss their time together. He was gratefully for their time apart. It taught him a lot. It seemed like they both learned more about themselves from the whole debacle. But now they had grown, and he was ready to come back to his friend. Plus, he was just too tired to not accept the apology.

Peter held out his fist. “Best friends?”

Ned smiled at him. He extended his fist and bumped it against Peter’s. “Best friends.”

Peter held out his arms. “Best friend want to help me up?”

Ned grabbed him and pulled him to his feet. “So. You gonna tell me all about what super cool bad guy you fought that did this to you?”

Peter grinned. Leave it to Ned to turn something terrifying and life-threatening into some cool adventure. They slowly made their way towards the locker room.

“So, I was out on patrol. I had been testing out this new feature I put on my suit….”

“Woah. Fancy superhero tech. Tell me all about that too.”

“Do you want me to tell you about the alien or the tech first?”

“There was an alien? Oh my goodness, this is the coolest thing I’ve ever heard! Just start at the beginning.”

“Okay. So, I thought of this cool thing to put on my suit that I could use to glide through the air….”


	47. Chapter 47: So Much for Being a Kid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we go! We're reaching the climax. Lots of stuff about to go down. I really hope you guys like where this is taking us. Prepare yourself.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

“Are you gonna ask MJ to the dance?”

“What? No. Ned. That’s crazy.”

Ned sighed. “Peter. This is ridiculous. The dance is this weekend. If you don’t ask her soon, it’s not going to happen. You’ll both be by yourselves. Alone. And bored. When you could be having fun together.

“First off, I’m not going. I’m not even sure if she is. Second, I would have you.”

“And I’m still not a girl. Admit it dude. You’re head over heels for her. And she is for you. So, make your move.”

Peter ran his fingers through his hair. “Look. You’re right, okay. I really like MJ, man. She’s awesome. She’s smart and pretty. And she’s so cool with everything. But I like what I have with her now, and I don’t want to risk doing something when I’m not ready that makes her not want to be friends with me anymore.”

Ned gave him a pointed look. “You collapsed through her window and bled all over her house. I’m pretty sure you’re not going to scare her away at this point.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that I don’t know how any of this stuff works. I only have my parents to base this stuff off of.”

“Dude. We’re teenagers. It’s going to be nothing like that. It’s supposed to be awkward. That’s the whole point of it. It’s how we get better. Come on. Just ask her out.”

“Sup, dorks.”

The two boys spun around to see MJ walked towards them. She sat down beside Peter. “What are you guys talking about?”

Peter felt Ned elbow him in the ribs, but he ignored it. “Oh, just how boring this meeting is gonna be.”

“Yeah,” MJ sighed. “I don’t see the point. We already know there is gonna be a dance and that people have to behave for it. I don’t see what else has to be said.”

Peter nodded. “Exactly.” 

He felt another sharp jab to the ribs, and he smacked Ned in the arm to get him to stop. He wasn’t going to do anything he didn’t want to. He understood he would have to learn, but he felt like there were other things he should focus on. 

Like getting back to his Spiderman duties. He wasn’t one hundred percent yet, but resting – somewhat – had really helped him heal even quicker. He felt he was good enough to throw himself back out there. Especially in light of those aliens being on the loose.

The principal cleared his throat as he stepped up to the mic. Everyone turned their attention to him, so he started to speak. 

Just as expected, it was incredibly boring. Peter found himself zoning out. He wasn’t concerned about missing anything important seeing as he wasn’t attending the dance in the first place. As he looked around in boredom, he saw that most of the kids weren’t paying attention either. This would normally bother him, but he didn’t blame them. They were all just ready to get home.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He felt cold. All his senses were going haywire. Something was wrong. Very wrong. Something was coming.

The doors burst open.

Screams echoed through the room as three of those grey aliens charged in. Peter watched in horror as they stormed into the center of the room, chasing the principal and all the teachers with him up into the bleachers. 

The one in front, who appeared to be the leader of the group, started yelling in his native, clicky language.

“I don’t understand what you are saying,” the principal yelled, his voice quavering in fear. “We. Are. Human. We. Want. Peace. What. Are. You. Saying? You. Speak. English?”

The leader started yelling louder, immediately shutting the man up. 

No one else might have understood what was being said, but Peter did. It was his name. He didn’t know how he knew that, but he did. He knew they were addressing him. Calling for him to come to them. But he didn’t dare move. He had taken out one of their people. Not to mention the terrifying flashes he had seen of them. Whatever they wanted from him now, it would not be good.

Ned leaned over. “Isn’t that the alien you described?”

“Yes, Ned,” he hissed back.

“Are they here to kill you?”

“I don’t know, Ned.”

“What are you gonna do?”

“Shut up.”

It was too late. The leader looked straight at him. Peter gulped. He was screwed.

The leader changed his tone. He was no longer screaming at everyone, trying to acquire his target. He was talking directly to Peter. Peter didn’t know exactly what he was saying, but he could tell it wasn’t good. The leader pulled out some strange device and threw it on the ground.

As soon as it landed, it shot a projection into the air. The image turned Peter’s blood to ice. All the Avengers were unconscious, surrounded by these aliens. Even Loki and Thor were there. He could tell by each individual’s clothing that they had been picked off one by one, each in the middle of their own various routines. They had been taken by surprise. 

His chest tightened as he looked in the background. They looked like they were on a ship. The alien’s ship, if he had to guess.

Great. Just great. He had no backup. The Avengers couldn’t even stop them, so he was doomed. But he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

While keeping his eyes locked ahead, he slowly reached into his bag and pulled out his webshooters. His hand brushed against his phone. It was buzzing. He carefully pulled it out. When the aliens had turned for a moment, he glanced at his phone. The caller ID read Nick Fury. Fury? Like SHIELD Fury? Well, that didn’t make sense. Why would the director of SHIELD be calling a kid when there was a serious threat? This man should really get his priorities straight.

Peter hit the decline button and shoved the phone into Ned’s hand.

The leader was looking at him again. He called out to Peter. He extended his giant claw towards the boy, pointing at him. Then, he pointed firmly towards the ground in front of him. He was commanding Peter to come to them. Peter’s mind screamed at him. Run. Hide. Disappear. Literally anything to get away. But as he watched the two other aliens point staffs at the crowd, he knew that wasn’t an option.

He took a deep breath and stood up. His heart pounded wildly. His whole body shook more and more with every breath. He felt as if he couldn’t possibly walk. But he had to. 

He felt a hand brush his. He turned to see MJ looking up at him, fear covering her usually indifferent face. He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring grin and pushed past her.

He had to think quick. He descended a step. The Avengers were all gone, so he was the only one here. Another step. He was the only one who could stop them. Another step. How had he taken out the last one? Another step. The neck. He would go for the neck. Another step. But then what? How would taking out three of them help him get to the ship and save the Avenger? Another step. Think, Peter, think. Another step. He would have to figure that out as he went. Another step. Right now, he had to make sure the people here were safe.

He stepped onto the main floor. He heard murmurs behind him. Well. So much for a secret identity and a normal life. Guess that had been too much to ask for.

He held himself as tall as possible. He was vaguely aware that he was stepping on his toes, which he hadn’t done in a very long time. But right now, that actually didn’t seem like a bad idea. He had to be a soldier, not a human boy. That was his only hope.

He walked towards the leader. As he neared, the leader turned his back to the boy to talk to his comrades. 

Okay. He only had one shot at this. He aimed his webshooter at the leaders back. He fired and yanked himself onto the surprised alien, wrapping his legs around the torso. He took his hand and shoved it at the creature’s throat. His hand slid across the scales until it found the weak spot. There was a gargling sound, and the leader fell to the ground.

Peter jumped off as he flipped down and rolled into a fighting stance. He looked up at the two remaining creatures. They were clearly not happy their leader had just been taken down. They pointed their staffs at him and charged.

Peter sprinted across the room. He was hoping he could lead them to a less populated portion of the school. Unlike the last time he fought one of these aliens, he stayed aware of what was happening behind him. He heard a whizzing sound and dove into a roll. One of the staffs whizzed above him. He reached up and grabbed it before he kept running.

They were gaining on him. Running wasn’t working. He had to make an offensive move. He reached the wall and climbed part way up. Then, he used his legs to push himself back towards the creatures. He flipped through the air, landing right behind them. Spinning towards the creature without the staff, he sliced at the knees. His opponent wobbled. Peter climbed up onto the alien, dodged his flailing arms, and sliced his throat.

As he was about to jump off, he felt claws grasp him. He was thrown to the center of the room. He groaned at the harsh impact. That would leave a mark. He heard the last alien running at him, so he quickly scrambled to his feet. He blocked the staff coming down on him with his own.

They started a quick-paced duel with their staffs. Peter had forgotten how different it was fighting someone so large. The style he had been practicing with Natasha was nothing like what he needed to use now. He reverted to his old Camolian tactics, embracing all those years of training. It was almost alarming how quickly he reverted to his old ways, but he wasn’t going to complain at the moment.

As he made in intricate, flipping motion over his opponent’s shoulder, he heard the doors behind him slam open followed by a rain of gun fire.

He spun around to see a bunch of men in black shooting at the alien. The being seemed thrown off and greatly irritated by the bullets bouncing off his scales, but nothing penetrated them. 

Peter saw an opportunity as his opponent was distracted. He dove between the alien’s legs and tossed his staff up. It imbedded itself in the throat, taking out the final alien.

Peter stood up, turning to face the group with guns. “Aim for the neck. It’s the soft part.”

A man with an eyepatch pushed his way to the front of the crowd. “And how on earth did a kid figure that out in a matter of minutes?” 

“I took one out a few weeks ago.”

“And you didn’t think to tell anybody?” the man yelled.

Peter took a step back. “Well, I thought people higher up already knew they were here.”

“We did. But that doesn’t mean we couldn’t have used information like that. That could have saved us a buttload of time. You hear, see, or learn anything, you come straight to us from now on. You hear?”

“Wait. You’re Fury, aren’t you? From SHIELD?”

“Well, duh,” the man deadpanned. “Who else would we be?”

“I thought you were like FBI or SWAT or something. My bad.” Peter looked at the man’s eyepatch. He chuckled. “Pirate. Now I get it.”

The director sent him a glare at the mention of Stark’s nickname for him. “We don’t have time for pleasantries, Spiderman. We need your help.”

Peter shook his head. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. The Avengers couldn’t even stop them from taking them.”

“And you did. Besides. We think they’re here for you.”

Peter’s eyes widened as a thought struck him. He backed away from the man. “You’re not gonna turn me over, are you?” A shiver ran down his spine as he recalled those flashed with the aliens. The thought of being handed over to those claws was terrifying. Maybe those flashes had been a warning. Or, was it something else? Was there more to it than that? What was he not seeing in the bigger picture?

“No, we’re not. But we need you to help us get on that ship, free the Avengers, and take these guys out. For good.”

“Look. I want to help. I really do. I just don’t see how. Everybody has been telling me I’m just a kid and I need to be careful. And I tried to prove them wrong, but I realized they were right. I don’t want to be some big fancy hero. I can’t be something I’m not. I’m just the friendly neighborhood Spiderman. And if I try to be something else, I’m scared I’ll lose myself.”

He had already been falling back into his Camolian habits. He was fighting – and killing. He was walking around on his toes. He had barely used his webshooters, instead relying on old fighting moves. If he went up to that ship as a leader, he would probably act like his old captain self. He didn’t want that. There was nothing good that would come from any of this.

Fury stared at him with a you-can’t-be-serious expression. “You’re from space!” he screamed. “You run around fighting people in the dark! You’ve killed aliens!”

“I know, I know. But that’s different.” 

Peter ran his hands through his hair. Everything was happening so quickly. This was crazy. He wished this was all another vivid nightmare that he would wake up from, but he knew that wouldn’t happen. This was reality. Sickening, life-threating, terrifying reality. And this man had somehow found him and was asking him to do something he…

“Wait. How did you find me? How do you know who I am?”

“Agent Romanoff. After that building collapsed on you, she said she wanted to know you would be protected if something were to happen to her. She told us everything. And I mean everything. So, don’t even think about lying. We’ll know.”

Peter gulped. He felt slightly betrayed, but he also knew that had been a very wise move on Natasha’s part. And as he looked at the man, he didn’t think he would keep a secret from him either.

“So. You gonna help us, Spiderman?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“No.”

“Well then, I guess so.” 

“Good. Just what I wanted to hear.”

Peter pulled the staff out of the closest alien and walked over to the dead leader. He surveyed the body from head to toe. There had to be something useful. A communicator. A tracking device. A key to a ship. 

Peter reached down and snatched a small band off his wrist. Upon closer examination, he recognized this. It looked just like one of the devices the Camolians used to signal they were ready to be transported.

“I think I found something to help us get on the ship,” he called over his shoulder.

“Great. Now, Agent Hill. I need you to….”

Peter didn’t hear whatever instructions the man was yelling. 

He was surrounded by blinging light.

He was being transported.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So. I know this is the exact opposite of what you guys want, but I will probably be updating just once a week from now on.
> 
> I know, I know. I'm evil. Especially with the chapter ending like it did. But my work is getting crazy, and exams are coming up. Plus, these last few chapters need more editing than previous ones. I really want to make them the best I can, and that takes time. I just don't think I could do that twice a week with everything going on.
> 
> Anyway. Just thought I'd give you guys a heads up. If I end up having the time and everything, I might be able to update more than I am thinking right now. But if you don't see an update on Thursday, that's why.
> 
> Hope you guys liked it, and have a great day!


	48. Chapter 48: Surprising Aid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun, dun, dun. Big stuff happens. Obviously. I'm super excited.
> 
> I hope you like the surprise reappearance of this character (not gonna say who up here cause then it won't be a surprise when you actually get to it). I'm super excited to see what you guys think!
> 
> Anyway. Hope you like it!

The next thing Peter knew, he was standing on a platform on the alien ship. He looked around and spotted the alien that had brought him up. Realizing he must have somehow activated the device in his hands he dropped it. Not that that would do any good. He was already on the ship.

The alien across from him looked up in surprised. It said something as it reached for a button on the panel. 

Peter aimed his staff and threw it. The weapon hit its mark, and the alien slid to the ground. Peter didn’t know what that button would have done, but it definitely would not have been good for him.

Peter stood there for a second, letting his predicament sink in. 

He was alone. Truly alone. This time, there was no one else who could possibly burst through the doors and help him. He was surrounded by a bunch of aliens he could barely fight. 

His chest tightened at the thought. He remembered the fear, the pain, the cold he had experienced in the flashes. They all stemmed around these aliens he was surrounded by. Who knows what they wanted to do to him now. Or were currently doing to his family.

He was in way over his head.

He shook his head. He didn’t have time for panic. He had a mission. He had to find his family. He could have a mental breakdown later.

He walked to what he guessed was a weapons compartment mounted on the wall. Pulling it open, he found some strange devices he didn’t recognize. He also found a few knifes and a rope. He tucked one of the knives in his pants and tied the rope to his staff. He then slung it over his shoulder so he would no longer have to hold it. He wanted to have his hands free.

He turned to the display panel the alien had stood behind. He scanned over the display and the buttons, looking for anything he recognized. It seemed to be similar to Camolian displays. He wasn’t really surprised by that at this point. He’d just go with it. He clicked through the system until he found what looked like a map.

Upon further inspection, he realized the layout of the ship was not very complex. It was extremely large, but it wasn’t a confusing labyrinth. He should be able to get from place to place without too much of a problem. At least, as long he avoided the aliens.

He scanned the map until he found what he assumed was a prison section. He was basing that entirely on his experience looking at Camolian maps, but he didn’t think he could go too wrong. He noticed that five of the rooms were a different color. He clicked on them. Just as he suspected, a notification popped up. He might not be able to read the language, but he understood the message: Occupied Cell.

He memorized a few different routes to reach the cells. He wanted to make sure he could go down a different path if he had to detour. After a deep breath, he turned and headed out the door.

This ship was unnerving. He couldn’t tell if that was just because he knew he was alone and in a dangerous situation or if it was his mind warning him like it had as Spiderman. Either way, he kept on the lookout.

He was nearing the cells without a problem. Wow. That had gone a lot better than he expected.

He heard clicking.

Of course. Just as he thought it was going to go without a hitch. He looked around. There were no side routes in the immediate vicinity. Fantastic. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t be seen…. 

A thought struck him. He climbed up the wall and onto the ceiling. Slowly, he crawled forward on his route as silently at possible.

Sure enough, a group of the aliens passed under him. Peter held his breath, hoping they wouldn’t look up. Somehow, the universe decided not to completely desert him. They left without noticing him. He exhaled in relief. He continued on his way, still on the ceiling just for precaution.

He soon reached the first occupied cell. He had no idea who was in it. There had been nothing to specify that on the map. 

He pulled out his knife and smashed the door’s opening pad. Quickly, he stepped inside.

Peter’s eyes grew wide. He couldn’t believe it. This wasn’t who he had wanted to see. He wasn’t supposed to be here. Peter had only wanted his family.

He watched as General Harnush looked up at him with his emotionless, stone-like face. “Well, well, well. Look what we have here,” he said flatly.

“What are you doing here?” Peter hissed.

He couldn’t believe this. Why was a Camolian here? One of the highest leaders in the Alliance, no less. He had honestly thought they would all be dead by now. Even if they weren’t, this was the last place he would have expected to find one. They should be back on their planet, trying to fix all their crazy problems.

“Paying my dues. Or, so I’m told.” The Camolian huffed in annoyance. “What are you doing here? And outside of your own cell?”

“Look. I’m not here for you. I came to get my family.”

“They have you calling them your family now, do they?”

Peter glared at the general. “Yes. Because they are. My real family. And I’m going to get them out of here. You can do whatever you please.” 

He spun around to leave. He wanted nothing more to do with the Camolian. He had left that life behind. If it had been up to him, he would have never interacted with a non-human or been into space ever again. But that had not been an option. Even so, he didn’t want to interact with this one in particular. That would only cause problems. He didn’t need more of those. He needed to keep moving.

He stopped at Harnush grabbed his arm. “Wait. Do you even know what you’re doing?”

Peter tried to pull away from his grasp. “I don’t need your help.”

“They really have done a number on you. Broken down all of the Alliance’s lies. Good for them. But think about this. Do you know where the armory is? Do you know where to go once you’ve freed all your so-called family? Do you even know why you’re here in the first place? I can help you. Just, take me with you.”

Peter eyed him skeptically. He didn’t trust him. “You lied to me for years. You experimented on me. Tried to strip me of my humanity. You trained me to be a killer. Why should I trust you?”

“Because I’m the best hope you have of getting yourself and your family out of here.”

The two stared each other down. Peter knew he was right. No matter how much he hated it. No matter how little trust he had. It was better to have someone than no one. And his family was the most important thing right now. His pride would have to wait.

He huffed, gesturing to the door with his arm. “After you, General.”

They ran out of the cell. Peter prepared to take a left since that was the way to the other cells. He noticed Harnush was turning in the opposite direction.

“What are you doing?” he hissed. “They’re this way.”

Harnush kept going without even looking back. “I told you. I know where the armory is. We will both be better off if we have proper weapons. And we can bring some to your family as well.”

Peter took off after him. That was a valid point. 

They stopped as they reached a larger hallway. Harnush looked both ways, listened, smelled the air, and then gestured for Peter to follow. They crossed the hallway and entered a room on the opposite side. Harshun hastily closed the door behind them.

Peter looked around, searching for what his family could use. He didn’t want to be too weighed down, so he had to choose carefully. He picked up another staff, a few knives, and a few blasters – at least he hoped they were blasters. He looked around for some rope to make a belt with, but he couldn’t find any. Suddenly, it dawned on him that he had his web shooters on. He made a quick belt out of his webbing and stuck the weapons to it. 

He turned to Harnush. “You ready to go?”

The general walked up to him, staff in hand and a knife on his belt. “As ready as I will get.” He tilted his head. “Where’d that belt come from?”

Peter opened the door and looked both ways. “Clear.” He quickly stepped out and crossed the hallway.

Harnush was hot on his trail. “I see you’re just as talkative as you’ve always been.”

“Don’t. Just, don’t. You don’t know me. So don’t act like we’re buddies. Besides, you barely even interacted with me back at the base.”

“Yes. But my brother did.”

“Oh really? And who was he exactly?”

“Your Commander.”

Peter looked at him wide-eyed. “Commander Harshin was your brother?”

The general kept walking, not even glancing at the stunned boy. “Indeed. He always had high hopes for you. He hoped you wouldn’t be viewed as a failure. He was greatly disheartened when you were sent out on that mission when we all thought you would die.”

Peter scrambled to catch up to the Camolian. He had grown accustomed to slowing down for other humans. He had forgotten what it was like to be the slow one. He didn’t like it.

“Well, it’s a good thing I didn’t. I’m alive and better than ever.”

“I can see that.”

“And I’m doing better than I ever was with the Alliance.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“I really doubt that.”

“I’m being serious. Some of us, my brother and myself included, believed you were not a failed experiment. We knew the Alliance’s methods were wrong and would only bring harm. We wished you hadn’t been brought into our world and had been raised by your own people. We wanted you to have a better life than the one we could offer.”

“Then why didn’t you do anything about it? You’re the highest up, aren’t you?”

“You were always one to use that brain of yours. I’m sure by now you’ve put together that the Alliance was under orders of… more powerful beings.”

They turned a corner. This wasn’t the way Peter thought the map had gone. He debated on saying something but quickly dismissed the thought and followed Harnush. 

“But what would they want to do with me?”

“I’m not entirely sure myself. I know they have some kind of prophetic, vision seers. Apparently, they saw you. At earth. Leading to their ultimate demise. They took you, thinking if they could find out what made you special, they could stop it. When they couldn’t find anything, they left you on the planet where we found you.”

They took another turn in the opposite direction. Peter was completely lost at this point. He had no idea where they were or what they were doing. But it was far too late to turn back now. He would just have to trust his… ally? Is that what they were at this point? He wasn’t entirely sure.

The general continued. “From the beginning of the Alliance, these beings – we call them Scripas – would send the leaders messages. They tell us where to go next and how to handle certain situations. They had been instructing us to find a means of converting other species into our own. The Scripas are a dying race, and we are closest biologically to theirs. By discovering a way to make more of us, they hoped to learn a way of making more of them.” 

That was actually genius on their part. Peter could see the similarities between the two races. At least externally. He assumed it wouldn’t take much to alter the gene manipulator once it was completed.

“Since they could not find what made you such a special human, they hoped to strip you of that humanity. They instructed us to your location. They told us to raise you and use you as our first test subject. Unfortunately for them, it failed. You were still part human. Just now a unique and more dangerous one.”

“They created the very thing they wanted to destroy.” Serves them right.

“And so, they wanted you dead. When you continued to grow stronger, getting farther and farther away from dying naturally and closer and closer to becoming their bane, they sent you to fight. They hoped you would die there. I hadn’t wanted to give the order, but I didn’t have a choice. There are dire consequences when you refuse them. To everyone’s surprise, you still survived and were sent back to earth. Adding the revolution that broke out because of it to everything else, the Scripas started to panic. They had us send ships to bring you back. They hoped the offer of leading the Alliance would be enough for you. Then, you would be under them, helping them instead of bringing them down. We sent Hisha, knowing she would be the one best suited to convince you.”

Peter shuttered at the thought of that whole battle. At seeing his friend die in front of him. 

They turned another corner as Harnush continued. “Their entire plan was crumbling before them. They blamed me. That is why I’m here. They wanted to punish me. And they hoped I would be able to help them take you down since I now know the most about you.”

Peter froze in his tracks. He reached for his staff.

Harnush continued walking. “Don’t worry. I have no intention of doing so. Like I said. I always had high hopes for you. To be honest, I’ve never liked the Scripa. I simply never had the means to stand against them. If you can take them out, I am in full support of that.”

Peter raised his eyebrows in suspicion. He wasn’t exactly sure how to take all of this in. He didn’t really have time to process it at the moment. All he knew was that he wanted his family safe. And if Harnush could help with that, he guessed he would go with it.

He was reminded of some saying he’d heard Steve say before. The enemy of your enemy was your friend. He supposed it made sense at the moment.

They reached the end of the hallway. Harshun pointed to a door. “There. That’s the farthest cell. As we go down the line, we will now be traveling towards our destination. Not farther from it.”

Peter rushed towards the door. He immediately realized his mistake. He hadn’t looked both ways. 

A Scripa ran towards him, staff raised. Peter pulled out one of the knives. As the Scripa neared, he shot some webbing at its legs, yanking its feet out from under it. It fell towards the ground, and Peter stabbed at the neck. 

He surveyed the area. It appeared this one had been alone. He stood and turned back to the door.

“Impressive technology,” General Harnush commented, pointing at the webshooters. “I see you haven’t stopped creating devices.” He walked in front of the door, pulled out his blaster, and shot at the door pad.

Peter rushed forward to see who would be inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. For all of you that are interested in the Camolian POV, I now ask your opinion.
> 
> I know a lot of you said you wanted it to be from Peter's Camolian mother's viewpoint. That would be cool, but I think it would be awesome to have it from Harnush's instead. He has a wider understanding of everything going on, and it lasts longer.
> 
> I can make either one work. They'd both be interesting and hopefully fun to read. I just thought I would see what you guys would like better.
> 
> Anyway, hope you liked it! And Happy Thanksgiving in advance!


	49. Chapter 49: Desperate Measures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does this story have basic superhero climax layout? Probably. I feel like it does. But I tried. And I like it. I'm a lot better with emotional beats than I am with action, so it was a little hard.
> 
> Also, my sincere apologies in advance for the cliffhanger.
> 
> I hope you like the chapter!

“Oh my gosh!” That was Pepper screaming. “That’s one of the things that came for Peter!”

“You got a lot of nerve, lizard man.” And that was Tony. “Come at me. I dare you.”

“I could easily take you out, puny human,” General Harnush snarled.

Peter shoved him out of the way. “Will you stop?” he yelled up at the Camolian. “I like having both of my real and alive parents, thank you.”

“Peter?” Pepper stared at him in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

As he opened his mouth to reply, he realized that neither of them knew about his hero persona. That was a really important detail, and he was sure their point of view would be extremely confusing without it. 

Thankfully, Harnush stepped in. “No time for this. We need to keep moving.” Without waiting, he walked down the hallway.

The two adults rushed to Peter’s side. Tony grabbed his arm and started pulling him in the opposite direction of the general. “Come on. Let’s get away from him.”

Peter pulled out of his grasp and started walking after Harnush. “No. He knows what he’s doing. He has a lot of knowledge that will help us. He helped me get to you. He even helped me get weapons. Here.” He held out a blaster to Tony and a knife to Pepper. He wasn’t sure if his mother would use it, but he would rather her have something just in case.

“So, he’s our friend then?” she asked as she cautiously took the knife.

Peter cringed. “Well. That’s not exactly what I would say. But I trust him. With my life.”

“Move along, Minshun and Minshun’s parents!” Harnush called from down the hall.

Peter ran, knowing his parents would follow once he started. 

It was weird being referred to by his old name again after all this time. He knew it would always be a part of him, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be called by it anymore. He was moving past that. At least, he was trying to. The universe seemed to resist him doing such.

They reached the next cell. Harnush blasted the panel once again. This time, Peter made sure he was the one in the doorway.

Steve and Thor stood up to face whoever had come for them. Seeing who was there, they sighed in relief.

“Young Stark. I am surprised to see you here.” Thor walked over to him. “How did you get on this ship?”

“Long story. Here.” He offered the man a knife. He gave Steve a gun. “Before you attack him, just know he’s working with us for the time being.”

“Attack whom?” Thor asked as they stepped out of the cell. As soon as he saw Harnush, he aimed his knife at him.

Steve shoved the god’s hand down. “Peter just told you not to do that.”

“But why?”

“The enemy of our enemy is our friend.”

Harnush huffed and walked away. Everyone followed. They walked as quietly as possible, watching and listening for any signs of the Scripas. So far, so good. That was very surprising. 

They made it to the next cell. Natasha and Clint were inside.

Natasha grinned as she stood up. “About time, Spiderman.” She looked around. “Where’s Fury?”

Peter handed her the spare staff. “I accidentally came up without him.”

Clint grabbed one of the blasters. “He is not going to be happy about that.”

“Hold up! Stop everything!” Tony stepped in front of his son, his eyes about to pop out of his skull. “Did she just call you Spiderman?”

Peter brushed past him. “Not now, dad.” He was hoping the subject would be dropped for the time being. They had more important matters to discuss.

Tony rushed after him. “Um. Yes, now! You’ve been Spiderman the whole time? Why didn’t you tell anyone? Do you know how dangerous that is?”

“Yes, actually. I do. But considering we’re on an alien ship that is set on killing me because they made me special, I don’t see how that is our priority right now.”

“All those times we talked about finding Spiderman right in front of you, and you didn’t say anything? Why wouldn’t you fess up?”

“Because I knew you would act exactly like this.”

“Well, I feel this is a rational reaction to finding out your fifteen-year-old kid is swinging into deadly situations in his spare time. Speaking of which, how do you do that? Is it tech?” Tony gasped. “Did you use my own lab to make something this big and keep it a secret from me? I’m going to have to monitor everything that goes on in that room from now on.”

Peter heard clicking. He stopped in his tracks. “Be quiet.”

Tony came up beside him. “What did you just tell me to….?”

Peter watched as a group of Scripas turned the corner ahead of them. They stopped for a few seconds, looking at the group of escapees. One of them hit some kind of button, and alarms went off everywhere. So much for going unnoticed.

Harnush ran towards them, and Peter followed close behind. “Aim for the neck,” he called out. He had no idea what everyone knew about these aliens, so he thought it best to tell them that.

Harnush took one down with his knife. Peter leapt over the body, pulling his staff off his back as he flew through the air. His feet hit one of the Scripas in the chest, and he stabbed at the neck. He pushed off, rolling onto on knee as he hit the ground. 

Harnush was in hand-to-hand combat with another one. From Peter’s lower angle, he had a clear shot at the throat. He swung upward, hitting his target.

The two worked together, using their Alliance skills to take out the three remaining. He and Harnush nodded to each other, silently thanking one other for the assistance.

Peter knew he had his webshooters, but it was easier just to duel. Especially since he was working with Harnush. Mentally, he was reverting to the Alliance soldier training. That was the best way to get through this. 

Peter turned to the rest of their group. All of them had their weapons at the ready. Peter assumed they had just stayed back since he and Harnush were taking care of it. They probably didn’t want to get in the way, especially since some of them only had blasters.

“Come on. We still have Bruce and Loki to get out. Then we can leave.” He took off down the hallway. He knew more fighters could show up any second now since their presence had been announced.

He heard Thor laugh as they ran. “My brother is with Banner? He will not be pleased.”

“Would he be pleased in a cell with any of us?” Steve asked.

“No. He is very hard to please. He was that way even as a child. But he has a special dislike for Banner after being pummeled by the Hulk.”

“Oh, I remember that.” Steve paused. “I don’t really blame him.”

They reached the cell door. Peter smashed the panel with his staff. 

The second the door were open, a disheveled Loki rushed out and immediately started ranting. “I am a god. I demand your respect. I will have a different cell…. Oh. It’s you.” Loki stood straight and adjusted his clothing. “Well. Good.” He surveyed the group and stopped his gaze on Harnush. “I assume you are not going to try and kill me this time?”

“Depends on if you give me a reason.”

Loki raised an eyebrow in amusement. “Fair enough.”

Peter turned to the general. “That’s everybody. Lead us out of here.”

“I can do that….”

Peter glared at him. “Don’t you dare change your mind now. You’ll be in just as much trouble as the rest of us.”

“Yes. I know. I simply believe there is a better course of action.” When Peter continued to glare at him, he continued. “They came for you because they saw you as their doom. Think about it. They won’t stop until either you are dead and that threat is gone or they are dead and you have completed what they feared. I know for a fact that this is the last Scripa ship left. All of the others have been wiped out from various battles or lack of staff.”

Peter saw where this was going. He had to take them all out here and now or they would keep coming for him and his family and wreak havoc on the galaxy. If he could completely eliminate this threat now, he could set things right. He had the power to do something here. And as always, it was wrong to do nothing when he had the power to do something.

“What do you suggest?”

“We set the self-destruct. It will take the whole ship out. We should have just enough time to get back to the transportation system before it detonates.”

Steve stepped forward. “I think we should go back to earth and get orders from SHIELD. They are probably formulating a plan.”

Harnush slowly turned to the captain. “My apologies. Did it seem like I was asking your opinion? Because I was not.” He turned to Peter. “What do you want to do, bane of the Scripa?”

Peter looked around the group, all of which were shocked by the fact that the general had asked the opinion of the youngest one there. His first instinct was to say let Steve or Tony or really anyone else decide. After all, he’d been being treated like a kid for so long now he was starting to act like one. He should let the adults make the decisions. But he realized in this situation, he wasn’t a kid. He was their equal. He was just as qualified to take on the Scripa, if not more. And if what Harnush said was true, he was destined to be the one to take them down. Logically, it made sense that he choose – whether he like it or not.

He knew it was a risk. He didn’t want to put his family in danger, but he knew they would be in danger if he didn’t do this. He looked at each individual. He knew it would be easier for them to hide in smaller groups.

“Bruce. Pepper. Tony. Clint. Loki. You will go to the transporter room and wait for us there. If we can’t get back for some reason, leave without us. Harnush. Tell them how to get there.”

“Now, hold on a minute.” Loki held up his finger. “You, puny little human, will not tell me what to do. I am more capable of fighting than you could possibly….”

Peter wasn’t going to have this. If he really was their equal up here, he was going to be treated like it. Plus, he was in complete soldier mode and had tapped into his old captain mindset.

He kicked Loki in the ribs, sending him into the wall. He stood tall, chin up, as he authoritatively addressed the trickster.

“I am not weak. I might not be a god, but the Scripas said I would lead to their doom. At this point, I am in charge. So. Would you rather go against what I say and come on the more dangerous part of the mission, or would you liked to take the safer route?”

Loki stood and tidied himself. “I supposed it would be beneficial to have someone of my power and skill leading this hopeless bunch.”

Tony stepped forward. “I’m coming with you. I’m not letting my son go without me. Besides, I am the tech genius. I could help set the self-destruct.”

Peter looked at his dad. He understood where the man was coming from, but he knew he had to do what was best. “I know you’d be great with the tech. That’s why you need to go to the transporter room. You could send everyone else down if we can’t make it back.” Tony held up a finger to protest, but Peter cut him off. “Besides, you don’t have your suit. No offense, dad, but I’ve seen you fight without it. You’d probably get yourself killed by a Scripa.”

Tony opened his mouth to protest again, but he was cut off. Blaster fire whizzed towards them as Scripa soldiers rounded a corner. 

Harnush took off, and everyone followed. As they approached a door, he called out instructions. “Transporters are that way. Take the third right, then the second left.”

The groups separated. Peter, Harshun, Natasha, Steve, and Thor were left to enable the self-destruct. 

They ran, following the Camolian’s lead. Natasha lagged slightly behind since she wasn’t super human, but thankfully she took out anyone who got too close. They took a left, then another left, and finally entered a room at the end of the hallway. Harnush closed the door behind them. They could hear blasters fire and staff swings hitting the door. Hopefully, it would hold.

Peter looked around. They appeared to be in an engine room. At least, he assumed that was what the massive, pulsating contraption in the center of the room was. The power this produced had to be immense. He would have loved to study it, but he didn’t have time for that.

“What do you need us to do?” Steve asked.

Peter turned to Harnush for instruction. He was sure he could have figured it out eventually, but the general clearly had an in depth understanding of the ship. They didn’t have time to waste trying to learn how to work things on their own.

The Camolian ran to a display panel and began pressing things. He called out instructions. The superheroes did as they were told. They pulled levers, pressed buttons, plugged and unplugged cords. All the while, they kept an eye on the door. They could hear the Scripas outside, desperately working to get inside.

Suddenly, red lights started flashing. Screens around the room turned on. What Peter assumed were numbers started counting down on them.

“Done.” Harnush called. “We have ten minutes to get off the ship.”

There was a loud thunk as the doors were finally slammed open. Everyone ran towards the door, weapons at the ready. They had to get through there. It was their only way out.

Peter was on the far end of the vast room, so it took him some time to cross it. As he did so, he watched his comrades fight together. He felt honored to be part of such an extraordinary team. They took out the Scripas before he even got there.

Or so everyone had thought.

Peter watched as one of them raised a knife and threw it at Natasha. Her back was turned to the alien as she was talking to Steve.

Peter opened his mouth to warn her, but he knew it wouldn’t come out in time. He watched as the knife flew through the air. He was completely powerless to stop it.


	50. Chapter 50: Ashes, Ashes, They All Fell Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And exams are OVER!!! Just finished the last one like an hour ago. So glad to be done. Now I can do important stuff... like work on my fanfiction, lol.
> 
> Anyway. Thanks for waiting (Not that you really had a choice, but thanks anyway). Time to wrap this big cliffhanger up. And you'll all be excited to know that this chapter does not have a cliffhanger. I know. It's a miracle.
> 
> I hope you like it! Enjoy!

“NO!”

Natasha spun around, realizing what was happening before Peter even spoke. The knife was about to hit her chest…

Suddenly, General Harnush stepped in front of her. The knife imbedded itself in his chest. He fell to his knees.

Natasha pushed past him and threw her staff at the Scripa. This time, it was definitely dead. She and the other men scanned the area, making sure there were no others faking their fall. Steve stuck his head out the door, looking both ways.

“We’re clear for now,” he called into the room.

Peter reached Harnush’s side and knelt beside him. Looking at the wound, he knew there was no helping the Camolian. And the look on Harnush’s face told him he knew it as well.

“Why did you do that?” Peter asked. He couldn’t understand. It wasn’t like Harnush even knew Natasha. He definitely wasn’t close enough to her to rationalize taking a knife for her.

“I know you need her more than you could need me. You need humans.”

Peter gulped. His faced hardened as his determination grew. “No. We’ll get you out of here. And before you say anything, yes, I know this goes against what I was taught at the base. But I feel that those have gone out the window at this point. The goal is important, but people are not expendable.”

Harnush sighed. “Leave me, Minshun. Go with your family.”

Peter shook his head. He couldn’t believe this. He would never have thought this would affect him this much, but it did. Just a little while ago, he had been so mad about seeing Harnush. Now, he didn’t want to continue on the mission without him. The general had shown him so much. His life would look so different without him. He wouldn’t have been able to save his family without Harnush’s help. He didn’t want to leave him. 

He didn’t want to lose the one part of his old life left.

He knew it was stupid. He had left his old life. He loved being a human. He loved living on earth with the Avengers. But fighting alongside Camolian general again had stirred something in his heart.

This was a part of him. There was no ultimatum. He wasn’t one side or the other. He was both human and Camolian. Right down to his DNA. That hadn’t truly sunk in until this very moment, but it was true. And he didn’t want to lose what could quite possibly be the last of his old kind.

“Minshun. You have to leave. That is an order. I will not live. But you will.”

Peter felt tears welling up in his eyes. He wiped them away. Now was not the time for that. A soldier did not mourn the dead until the battle was over. And he definitely wasn’t going to break that in front of a general.

“Please. Take them out.” Harnush spoke so calmly for someone about to die. Although, he was trained not to show emotion. “Avenge our people. Avenge my brother. And me. I can die with honor knowing that.”

Peter nodded. “I promise. They will fall.”

Harnush forced a slight grin. It was strange to see. Peter didn’t remember a time he’d ever seen any Camolian leaders grin. 

“Then today is a fine day to die. Now go. And do not look back. Be what my brother and I hoped you would become. Surpass all expectations. Right the wrongs we have been forced to do. Do good. Set all free from the Scripa’s wicked grasp.”

“I will.”

Harnush was struggling to continue at this point, but he refused to give up until he had said what he needed to say. “And don’t forget where you’re from. Both sides. They wanted to make you forget. That would make you weak. Don’t let them win.”

“I know. I won’t.”

Harnush closed his eyes. “I’ve seen you’re reverting. You’re being one of our soldiers, not the young boy you should be. You’re having to save your family. But now prove that everything the Scripa have been forcing us to teach was wrong. Emotions are important. Humanity is important. It is worthy of continuing on. More than we are.”

All was still for a moment. Peter bit back a cry as the body in front of him went limp. 

No. He didn’t have time to mourn right now. He had made a promise. He was going to take the Scripa down and save his family. He had to move.

He took a deep breath and hardened his features once again. He stood and ran towards the door, pushing past the adults waiting with their saddened expressions. “We have to move. I think I can get us back.” He heard them all follow him.

As they rounded the first corner, they ran into another group of Scripas. Peter attacked with a whole new strength. He might not be paying attention to his emotions at the moment. That wouldn’t help anything. But that didn’t mean they didn’t fuel him. 

They cut through the group quickly and continued on their way. After some more turns and a few more fights, the group wound up at the transportation room.

“About time,” Clint said. “We were scared you weren’t going to make it.”

“Aww, you were scared for me?” Natasha replied as they ran onto the platform.

Peter ran to the display, which Tony was standing beside. The two scanned over it, looking for a way to power the thing. Peter wished he had paid more attention when he was transported all those other times with the Alliance. That would have come in handy about now.

He glanced at the clock. He guessed there was about three minutes left before the self-destruct went off. He turned back to the panel and hastened his work.

He and Tony thought they had found it when the door started to dent inwards. 

Peter’s heart dropped. The Scripas must have realized saving the ship was futile. Now, they were trying to go to earth. He looked at the clock again. Two minutes. If they left now, the Scripas would invade earth. That would just make everything worse. But by the sound and the looks of the door, they didn’t have time to wait.

Peter looked at his family. They all stood prepared to fight. He knew they would be. They would fight until the end. That’s what they did. They were the Avengers. Earth’s mightiest heroes. But he had just watched Harnush die. He couldn’t stand to watch them die too.

Peter turned to Tony. “Go to the platform. I’ll activate it. I can run faster than you, so I’ll get in the beam in time.”

Tony nodded. “If you say so.” He jogged over to the platform with everyone else.

Peter looked down at the display. He looked at the button to transport them. He heard the door creak as it slid partially open and the first Scripa pushed its way into the room. 

Without hesitation, he hit the button. Looking up, he saw the wide-eyed expressions of his family as they realized he wasn’t coming. However, they were now out of harm’s way.

Peter readied his staff. The Scripas turned to him. He moved towards the door. If he could get them as they came through, it would go a lot smoother. That way, he would only have to fight one at a time. 

He also had to defend the display panel and keep them away from it. If they passed him and reached it, earth would be screwed. Little him was the last line of defense. He wasn’t good enough for it. He didn’t know how long he could last. He knew he probably wouldn’t make it. But he was okay with that. He knew his family was as safe as they could be, and he was content with that knowledge.

He stood his ground. Slice. Swing. Jab. Dodge. Stab. Lean. Kick. Block. Repeat. He took out Scripa after Scripa after Scripa. Whenever one fell, another took its place.

It felt rather reminiscent of those capture the flag simulations he used to go through at the base. The Scripa were the soldiers coming out of the ground, and the transportation button was his flag. He had to keep everyone from getting it or else it would be over for him.

Maybe this was why Commander Harshin made the training so hard. If what Harnush said was correct, Harshin had known what he was destined to do for a while now. Was that why he had been pushed so hard? Was that why his squadron partook in the hardest practices? He had been trained for this moment unknowingly. Whether it was by the intention of those few Alliance leaders against the Scripa or it was by accident, he had been broken and reformed into this defender. And he was proud of it.

It was getting harder to fight now. His energy was decreasing. The bodies kept piling on the floor, pushing him backwards so he could stand on solid ground. This was not good. Maybe, he could just…

Peter gasped as a staff tore through his right thigh. He took out the soldier who put it there and leaned onto the display behind him. He pulled the staff out of his leg. At least he had another weapon now.

He kept fighting. He had to. He was seriously running out of energy, but since when had that stopped him? He glanced at the clock. There were only two numbers now instead of three. It was almost time. Just a little longer. Maybe he could do this. He just had to hold out.

Adrenaline and survival instinct overtook him, providing the strength to keep going. He glanced at the count down again. He watched as it switched to one number. He had a few seconds.

He aimed his webshooter at the transporter pad and fired. He knew there was no way he could run quickly with the gaping hole in his thigh. He reached over the display. As he hit the button with one hand, he pulled himself forward with the other. His heart pounded. He had no idea if he would make it in time.

As he reached the pad, light came up around him. Peter was vaguely aware of some Scripas pushing their way beside him. There was nothing he could do to stop it now. 

His ears rand as he heard a thunderous bang. He felt heat around him as he was completely encompassed by the light.

Peter collapsed to the earth beneath him. He could hear people screaming, and he saw the ending of a huge explosion far above him in the sky. He heard clicking and footsteps. He prepared to stand and fight, but he couldn’t. He was down for good.

There were gunshots and yelling. Peter looked around. His head was spinning, and his ears were ringing. He was zoning out in shock. He caught sight of a Scripa falling dead in front of him as the world turned black.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

Peter opened his eyes but quickly shut them. The world was too bright. He decided to use his other senses. Based on the smell and sounds, he guessed he was in some kind of medical place. Probably the tower’s med bay. He felt a hand on both sides of him.

He dared to open his eyes enough to squint. Tony and Pepper were sitting beside him on either side of the bed. They must have been there a long time as they were currently asleep. How long had he been out?

He gradually opened his eyes more. He became aware of how stiff he was. He also felt pretty bandaged up. That wasn’t surprising. He looked around for anything to tell him a time or day or anything that had happened since he blacked out.

He spotted his father’s tablet in the man’s lap. Slowly, as to keep him from waking, he leaned over. His body protested, but he continued. He grabbed the device and unlocked it. Based on the time and date, he had been out for two days. He opened Google to see what came up in the news feed.

Immediately, he was flooded with pictures of himself. Everyone was obsessed with the revelations of Spiderman. Especially since he turned out to be the lost son of Ironman. Peter sighed. Going back to school would be a nightmare.

His stomach growled. He was starving. Apparently, he hadn’t eaten in days, so that wasn’t surprising. He carefully maneuvered himself out from under his parents’ grasp. His right leg buckled painfully. Made sense since there had been a gaping hole in it. Since it wasn’t completely overwhelming, he pushed through it, slowly working his way to the elevator with the help of tables and walls.

Once inside, he asked JARVIS where everyone was. Everyone was scattered throughout the tower. He asked to go to the common room floor. Steve and Natasha were there. They would probably have some food ready to eat. If not, he knew they would at least help him out. Peter asked JARVIS to inform his parents where he was when they woke up.

Peter hobbled out of the elevator when the doors opened. Just as he suspected, the aroma of delicious food reached his nostrils. He entered the kitchen. “Got any extra?” he called out.

The two adults turned to look at him.

“Peter, sit down,” Steve said with a sense of urgency as he pulled out a stool. “Are you even supposed to be up?”

Peter hobbled over to the stool and plopped himself down. “Probably not. But no one stopped me.”

“They were asleep, weren’t they?” Natasha questioned.

“Yeah. Which is why no one stopped me.”

Steve put a plate full of food in front of the boy. Peter started wolfing down the meal. They stood in silence for a while. Peter was fine with that. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like the conversation that would inevitably arise.

Finally, Steve spoke. “So. You’re Spiderman.”

“Mmhmm.” Peter stuffed another large bite into his mouth. And receiving a lecture in 5, 4, 3, 2….

“Normally, I would be mad. You’re too young for something like that. You don’t realize the dangers. You’re only in it for the fame and the fun.”

And here we go. Lecture mode activated. At least this time it wasn’t from a school screen.

“But what I saw on that ship proves that’s not true. I hate to admit it, but you’re not too young. You do know the dangers. You know how to handle yourself. And you are clearly not in it for fame or fortune.”

Peter looked at him in surprise. That had not been what he expected.

“I don’t agree with you keeping it from us. You shouldn’t have gone out by yourself all the time. You got in some serious situations that you should have had help in. But. I’m proud of you for handling them. You’ve shown great potential. Especially as a leader. From the first time I met you, you said you wanted to help people. And that is what we’re all about. With that said.” Steve smiled at him. “Welcome to the Avengers.”

Peter beamed up at the man. He turned to Natasha who was smiling at him as well.

“Thank you. Both of you. So much.”

“You know your parents aren’t going to take this as well as us, right?” Steve asked.

“Yeah. I know.”

“And being an Avenger means a lot of publicity. A lot of press. You will not have the normal life you’ve been working so hard for,” Natasha added.

Peter shrugged. “I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m not normal.” 

And he had. After all this time, he finally had. He didn’t need to be like everyone else. He never could be. He couldn’t change who he was, and he didn’t want to. He was Camolian. And he was human. And he would proudly tell the world that fact.


	51. Chapter 51: Moving Forward... Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are. Technically the last chapter of the story. The next one is an epilogue.
> 
> This is crazy! I can't believe we're finally here! Big thanks to everyone who has stuck around. You guys are incredible! Every single comment and kudos means so much! Thank you all! I'm so glad so many people have liked this.
> 
> Now. I won't keep you waiting anymore. Enjoy!

Tony and Pepper burst into the room.

“What are you doing here?” Tony cried. He looked at his son’s plate before turning to Steve. “What are you giving him?”

“Food. Like he asked for.”

“He just came from the med bay. He’s supposed to be eating jello and soup and mashed potatoes and fruit cups.”

Peter scrunched his nose. “That doesn’t sound good. Or filling.”

Tony looked at him in exasperation. “It’s not supposed to be. It’s hospital food. Not a five-star restaurant.”

“This isn’t a hospital. It’s our house. Which could practically be a six-star restaurant.”

Pepper walked up to her son and slipped away the plate. “Peter, baby. We just don’t want your stomach getting upset since you haven’t eaten in a little bit. Okay? We just want to protect you.”

Peter sighed. He really liked that food. “Okay.”

“Speaking of protecting,” Tony began.

Oh great. Here it came. Yelling for real this time in 3, 2, 1…. 

“What on earth were you thinking? Being a superhero? Without telling anybody?”

“Nat knew, didn’t you?” Peter turned the agent for confirmation.

“Don’t drag me into this. I already have enough on my plate with SHIELD.”

“And what were you thinking, going up to an alien ship by yourself like that?” Tony continued.

Peter held up his finger. “Actually, I meant to bring Fury and some SHIELD agents who were with me. I just accidentally activated it when they were too far away for it to pick them up. And then, it was too late to turn back, so I just went into this solider mindset and everything else sorta happened.”

“Oh, yeah. That’s so much better,” Tony replied sarcastically. “Doesn’t change the fact that you made a multi-million-dollar suit so you could sneak behind my back and almost get killed every other night.”

“Technically, I started before I had the suit,” Peter corrected.

“You could have died, Peter!” the man yelled. “Time and time again. And if you had, that would have been on me.”

Peter gulped. He was suddenly scared that he wouldn’t be able to be Spiderman anymore. He didn’t know what he’d do without that part of his life. It was who he was. It was how he took everything he had learned and been through and put it to good use. He had promised General Harnush that he would do good. How else was he supposed to keep that promise? Not to mention that it was his way of coping with the world. He would go insane without it.

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it, kid.”

Peter stared into his father’s eyes. He opened and closed his mouth, unsure of what to do due to fear that he would say the wrong thing. He finally asked the daunting question overwhelming his mind.

“Are you gonna take being Spiderman from me?”

Tony turned around, running his fingers through his hair. He stood like that for a minute in thought. The silence was deafening. It drove Peter insane. Just as he thought he couldn’t take it anymore, his father spoke.

“Would that stop you?” He turned around and looked Peter in the eyes. “Would me locking you up here with no help or way out prevent you from throwing yourself out there? Or would you find other ways to get out, putting yourself in more danger in the process?”

“I can’t just throw it away,” Peter replied. “It’s who I am.”

Tony sighed, running his fingers through his hair again. “Then, I don’t see the point. I’d rather you let us help you if you’re gonna do it.”

Relief flooded through him. He tried to run forward, but he couldn’t due to his leg. Thankfully, four pair of arms rushed forward to catch him. 

Peter wrapped his arms around his father. “Thank you. Thank you.”

Tony embraced the boy in his arms. “You know, you did good, kid. It was stupid. Scared me half to death. But you did good.” He paused. “But never do it again. Especially that transportation bit. You don’t do things by yourself anymore. Understand?”

Peter hummed in response, but he didn’t agree. He had a feeling he would end up on his own at some point in the future. But right now, he would just enjoy the moment.

After that moment passed, Tony sent him to his room for some sleep. Peter didn’t understand this. He had just slept for days. He didn’t need sleep. But he didn’t argue.

As he lay in his bed, his mind ran wild. Everything seemed so much clearer now. And yet so confusing. He didn’t know what to make of everything that had happened. It hadn’t really sunken in yet. He was sure he would make more sense of it someday far down the road.

He thought about Ned and MJ and all the people at school. He wondered if they were all okay. Probably so. They had SHIELD agents there to help them. It would be a mess when he went back there, though. If he ever could. He hoped he could. He would miss seeing his friends. 

He absentmindedly wondered if they would still have the school dance in a few days. Good thing he hadn’t wanted to go. Or at least that’s what he told himself. Deep down, he suddenly felt the urge to go there. With his friends.

Especially with MJ. He had finally come to terms with himself. He was ready to move on in his life. To embrace himself fully, not caring what people thought. And he had a feeling MJ would be right there with him.

Peter tapped his fingers as he thought. He stood and hobbled around his room. Yeah, it wasn’t the easiest thing, but he was fully capable of doing it. Maybe. Just maybe….

He walked to his closet and pulled out his suit. Not his Spiderman one. The fancy one Tony had gotten him. Peter hadn’t seen the appeal at the time, but he was glad he had it now. 

He knew his father would never support him leaving in his current state, but Peter didn’t care. He would just get someone else to take him. He had his mind set on this, and as he said earlier, he would find a way out. Besides. He had time to plan it out.

He heard his phone ding as a notification popped up. He put the suit back in the closet and checked the device. There was another story about Spiderman. These were getting out of hand. Just as it had been on the first day of school, rumors were running rampant. Peter smiled to himself. He remembered his father’s comment about wishing he was involved in the rumors. Guess wishes did come true.

Peter tilted his head as an idea struck him.

He rummaged around his room until he found the camera Bruce had given him a while back. He asked JARVIS to set the lights for proper video lighting. He had no idea what it was, but he was sure JARVIS would figure that out for him. He hooked up the camera to his computer, making sure the video would download straight onto it. He adjusted the camera so it faced his bed, hit the record button, and sat down.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at the lens and started talking.

“Hello. My name is Peter Stark. Or Peter Parker, if you know me from school. Some things have come into light about me, and I want to set things straight. I am Spiderman, as you probably know by now. And I was missing for most of my life. Well, I didn’t know that until last September. That’s not the point. The point is, I have been hiding who I am and where I have been. But I am ready to tell the world now. So, here goes.”

He talked about the Scripas and how they took him. He told of the Camolians taking him under their orders and raising him. He talked of the Alliance. He talked about traveling to Asgard and being found out. He talked about being taken back to earth and slowly finding his place here. He told about creating Spiderman. His way out. His way to do good when he had no other option.

As he talked, he felt a weight lift off his chest. Just saying it out loud made him feel better. It made things click into place even more.

Halfway through his speech, he realized SHIELD might not be happy with him uncovering all this information. Oh well. He didn’t care. It was his story to tell anyway.

Once he was done, he stopped the recording. He pulled up YouTube and proceeded to post the video. He knew there were a lot of other ways he could do this, but he was scared if he sent it to somebody that people would edit it and change his words around. He wanted to prevent that if at all possible. And he definitely couldn’t have done it live. He shuddered at the thought of people watching him in person, people yelling out to him, and cameras flashing in his face. That was something he wanted to avoid as much as possible. Or at least he hoped he could.

When Saturday afternoon arrived, Peter was feeling a lot better. Thanks to that advanced healing, he was able to walk around slowly without aid. Just as he had planned, he changed into that fancy suit.

“JARVIS. Will you bring Natasha up here?”

There was a pause. Then, “She is on her way.”

Soon enough, the doors opened. The agent stopped in her tracks, staring at Peter in surprise.

“Look. I’m going to the dance. I’m not dying. Just stiff. So it’s fine. You can help me or make it harder.”

Natasha pondered for a moment before grinning. “Let’s go.”

They descended to the garage. Soon enough, they were driving down the road in Natasha’s car. 

Peter watched the city lights streak by in contrast to the night. He thought through everything that had happened over the past week. It was insane. It changed his entire view of himself and his world… and yet it didn’t. He was still the same boy. Always had been. Always would be. He just knew who that was now. And he hoped people would see that as well. Now that they knew he was a high-school boy and the son of Ironman and had been raised by aliens, they would perceive Spiderman with a different context. They would think of him as someone completely different than who they had known for months now. Peter hoped people would come to realize nothing had changed in him. He was still just their friendly neighborhood Spiderman by night and an awkward nerd by day.

Peter grew more nervous as they reached the school. It would be hard for a lot of his classmates to get past the things they had discovered about him. He had finally been content with his place in the school. Now, that would fly out the window. What would they all start thinking and saying about him? How would they treat him now?

“It’ll be fine,” Natasha said. “Just be yourself.”

Peter nodded. “Yeah. Yeah. I’ll just be myself. No problem.”

When they pulled up, Natasha stepped out with him. She said she would walk him to the door and make sure he was okay and then wait for him in the car.

With a deep breath, Peter opened the doors to the school. He was met by blaring music, yelling kids, and flashing lights. So much fun and life from inside. Or for him it was an overstimulated headache in the making. But he didn’t care. He just wanted to be with his friends. He hoped it wouldn’t take long to find them.

People started to stare at him. He wasn’t really surprised, and he didn’t really care. He only wanted to see his friends. He stayed on the outer edge of the room to avoid being seen as much as possible.

A little ways into the room, he stopped in his tracks. Someone was blocking his path. He decided to go around. As he did so, he realized it was Flash. He turned and made eye contact with Peter.

Flash’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He opened and closed his mouth like a fish. Peter chuckled to himself. Oh, how the tables had turned. He started walking away but was stopped by a hand on his wrist.

“I’m sorry I was a jerk,” Flash said quietly. Well, it wasn’t really quietly, but it sounded quiet compared to the noise around them. Flash then narrowed his eyes and let go. “I’m still not going to be your friend though, just because you’re a hero.”

Peter grinned. “I can agree to that.” With that, he continued on his way.

Soon, he spotted Ned and MJ standing in a corner. He smiled and rushed – as much as he could rush – towards them.

As he approached, MJ caught sight of him. Her eyes widened briefly. Then, she smirked at him and help up her favorite one finger. Just like she had done the first time he saw her. He chuckled at the gesture. A lot of people would have been offended, but he found it endearing. It was a symbol to him that some things would never change.

Ned spun around and saw him too. His best friend absolutely beamed at the sight of him. He started bouncing on his feet like a child. Then, Ned sprinted towards his friend.

In that moment, Peter knew everything would be fine. He didn’t care what else the universe threw at him. He had his family. He had his friends. He knew who he was, and he was proud of it.

He smiled. He wouldn’t change his life for anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have it folks! Our happy ending....
> 
> Except it isn't ending.
> 
> For anyone who was reading the comments around chapter 37, you know that I started writing a cute, short fluff story revolving around Ned's sister Emma and Peter.... 
> 
> Yeah, it didn't stay that way for long. I not have a full-blown, plot-rich, many-chaptered sequel. Chronologically, it begins soon after this chapter takes place. Don't you worry. Emma is still a major part of this story and drives the plot in many cases. But there are also a lot of other things going on, especially as the story progresses.
> 
> I really hope you guys will like it. I will post it next Monday, right after I post the final chapter in this work. Can't wait!
> 
> Anyway. Thanks again for everyone who's read (or is reading in the future)! Love you guys!


	52. Chapter 52: Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I present to you the Epilogue. I love this scene, and I think it's such a good way to conclude the story - even if most things were wrapped up in the last chapter. (Not gonna lie, I teared up writing and editing this.)
> 
> Once again, big thanks to everyone who has read and interacted! I love you guys so much!
> 
> The sequel work to this should be up in a few minutes. Feel free to go to that one for the continuation of Peter's story. I hope you'll like it!
> 
> Anyway. Enjoy the last chapter of To Be Human!

The ship shook as it hit the ground. The three young adults on the ship rose from their seats.

“I can’t believe your dad let you take a ship half-way across the galaxy for your twenty-first birthday,” Ned said excitedly. He was bouncing on his feet, so eager to see what lay outside. After all, it wasn’t every day someone traveled to another planet. Well. Not for them, anyway.

MJ squinted at Peter. “Tony didn’t give you permission, did he?”

Peter ran his fingers through his hair. How did she always know everything?

“Well…. He never said I couldn’t.”

Ned’s ecstatic expression morphed into one of fear. “You mean to tell me I just helped you steal a ship from Tony Stark. Dude. Not cool.”

“It’s not stealing, Ned. It’s technically the Stark’s ship. And I am a Stark. Besides. I had to do this.”

Peter walked off the bridge and turned down a hallway. His friends followed close behind. They made their way towards the ship’s exit.

As they walked, a four-legged ball of fur ran up to him. Peter’s golden retriever, Hisha, wagged excitedly at his side, ready to go with her human on any adventure.

Peter bent down to scratch her head. “Sorry, girl. You’re not coming with me on this one.”

At her human’s command, the dog stayed put, letting the three continue on their way.

“Where are we going anyway?” Ned asked. “You never said. Is this like a paradise island planet or something? Please tell me there’s lots of delicious food. And super cool parties. It isn’t every day you turn twenty-one, so this better be good.”

“Well, the last time I was here, there was very little food and drinks, and what little we had was bland. And parties weren’t allowed.”

“No parties?” Ned cried. “Why would we come to such a boring place to celebrate?”

“First off, you know I hate parties. There are much better ways to spend my time. And second, we aren’t here to celebrate.”

“Then what are we doing, exactly?” MJ asked.

Peter hit a button, and the exit ramp began to descend. “Getting closure.”

Peter squinted as the blazing sun hit his eyes. He stepped onto the ramp, bracing himself for what he might see. With a deep breath, he stepped onto the solid ground. 

There was dust everywhere. He was surrounded by complete silence except for some rustling debris from a slight breeze. His nostrils stung as the scent of burnt flesh and rotting corpses hit him. 

He looked around. The entire area had been covered in ashes, bodies, and demolished materials. He turned to the right. Spotting a familiar hill, he jogged to it and started his ascent. Reaching the top, he looked down. 

Where a large training building once stood, there was now an empty valley. The entire place had been razed to the ground. Even the stones and metal had been turned to nothing more than dust on the wind.

He stood there in silence. It was crazy seeing his old base like this. Like it had never existed. Like he hadn’t spent a majority of his life here with an entire race he would never see again. It was nothing but a memory.

Tons of history, culture, and knowledge remained only in his mind. He was the last Camolian.

This didn’t really surprise him. He had suspected this for a while now. Based off of Hisha’s and Harnush’s last words, he knew the race had been reaching its end. And after all these years, he would have been surprised to find anyone on the planet.

That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Looking around at the desolate land, he felt his stomach tighten into a knot.

There was no one else like him. Not that there ever had been, really. But part of his DNA now contained the last of a species. There was no coming back for it. He was alone.

But he wasn’t alone.

A huffing Ned and MJ finally reached the top of the hill.

“What are we looking at?” Ned panted, leaning onto his knees as he caught his breath.

Peter began pointing. “That’s where the base entrance was. And over there was the hanger bay. And the sleeping quarters.”

Peter felt something brush his hand. He looked down to see MJ grasping it. She gave him a soft smile in comfort before looking back to the valley.

They all stood in silence for a while, looking at the barren plane.

Peter turned around to head to the ship. “Okay. We can go now.”

Ned eyed his friend. “Just like that? We traveled goodness knows how far, and we look at a bunch of nothing for a few minutes, then leave.”

“Yeah. Pretty much.”

MJ gently grasped Peter’s arm. “Why don’t you show us around a bit more.”

Peter looked at her in confusion. “There’s nothing here. You could tell more about Camolia from my drawings than you can from seeing this.”

“Maybe so, but I think it would be good for you. You might find something surprising. Besides. You know I like creepy, ruined places with dark backstories.”

Peter chuckled. “Yeah. You do.” He thought for a second. “I supposed it couldn’t hurt.”

He led them down his old route home. He hoped to see his tree, but it appeared to have blown up. As they neared his home, he could see this had been the center of a considerable amount of fighting. That wasn’t surprising since the revolution apparently started with his mother. 

Just like it had been at the base’s location, there was no sign of his home ever existing apart from debris. Peter kicked through it, seeing if he could find anything from his childhood. He found nothing apart from skeletons and degraded weapons. It made his throat and eyes burn. It was sickening to see everything like this.

He squatted down to pick up a knife. There was nothing special about it. It was a standard Alliance knife. He tucked it into his belt. To anyone else, it would be a useless piece of rusting metal. But it was a tiny shred of his old life. And in a moment of sentiment, he wanted to keep it.

As he crouched, he put a hand to the ground. “I am back, mother,” he whispered. “And I am safe. You don’t have to worry about me anymore.” He felt tears welling up as he spoke. He decided to let them fall. It seemed like the proper moment. He didn’t have to hide who he was anymore. Not here. Not anywhere. “Thank you for teaching me and fighting for me. I will continue to make you proud.” He started fiddling with a piece of rubble in his fingers. “I found a new family. They took me in like you did. They’re a bunch of misfits too, but we all belong together. And I’m happy with them. I’ve learned to be happy and at peace.” He took a deep breath. “I know we never told each other this. And I know you thought emotions were foolish. But I want… no. I need to say it. I love you, Mother. Thank you for never giving up on me. Rest at peace now. You died with honor.”

Peter was about to stand when something caught his eye. He leaned forward and brushed away some dirt, revealing a single red flower struggling to survive in this dismal place.

Peter smiled. He reached forward and carefully pulled it out of the ground. He made sure the roots came with it. This was the one remaining living thing, and he was going to take it home with him. He wasn’t sure if it would survive, but he had to try. It just seemed fitting.

Peter brushed the tears off his face and stood up. He walked back to his friends. They looked at him awkwardly, not quite knowing what to say.

He walked past them, beckoning them to follow. They walked back to the ship in silence. Peter didn’t mind. His mind was loud enough for him at the moment. Once they got back, Peter was greeted by a wagging Hisha. She clearly wanted to run around, but she was going to stay put since that’s what he had told her to do. Peter walked up to her and scratched her head.

As they stepped back onto the ship, Peter looked behind him one last time. One last glance at his old home.

MJ placed her hand on his shoulder. “You okay?”

Peter took a deep breath and turned to her. “I will be.” He pressed the button, and the ramp lifted, blocking him from the outside world. He walked towards the bridge, wrapping his arm around her waist as they went.

“Come on. Let’s go home.”


End file.
